Anomaly: Mortal Kombat
by kadell
Summary: [Renamed] Some call her a martyr. Others claim her to be the most dangerous being in all the realm. Learn the secrets behind the woman who caused the events that led to the feud between Earthrealm and Outworld. Prequel to RotSR & Compromise. (Completed December? 2016).
1. The Witch and The Dragon

**The Witch and the Dragon**

 _For Centuries, the Outworld Emperor, Onaga, merged many realms illegally. However, his conquest of taking realms by force had been put on a standstill as the Elder Lords forbid his methods. Therefore, he was forbidden from merging the realms until he finds a new solution_.

At this moment, the Dragon King Onaga and his Shadow Priest are in talks of a solution in the Throne Room. Rugged, Dark, almost like a real life Dragon's Den. Onaga's Throne Room overlooks the entirety of Outworld. Occasionally when he's away, he'd have Shao overlooking his Throne Room, as well as the rest of Outworld.

"Diplomacy wouldn't work. They're not going to just accept being under my rule. Besides, it will only cause someone to eventual pursue a Coup d'état." Onaga responded.

"We have the army for if that happens." The Shadow Priest responded.

"Only if that Army doesn't decide to betray me for claiming their realms." Onaga responded.

"How many more do we need?"

"We need the other three Daggers and five more relics." Onaga responded. He gets a knock on his Throne Room door. He sends his Shadow Priest away, whom leaves through a portal. "You may enter!"

The Doors to Onaga's Throne Room open. Walking through them is one of his servants, Anomaly. She had bronze skin, long black hair, white eyes, and was dressed in a Black & Gold fitted top and Black Edenian tights. She was holding the Dragon King's golden cup which was filled with Ale. She walked towards him and kneeled with the cup held in front of her.

"Your Ale, Emperor." Anomaly stated dryly. Onaga knocks the cup out of her hands, causing the Ale to splatter across the floor. Anomaly was frightened by his action. He leaned over and lifted her chin so that he could look her in the eyes.

"First, you interrupt my meeting. Then you present my Ale without even testing it for poison. You refused to speak clearly and with enthusiasm. And lastly, you decided you weren't going to look me in the face." Onaga explained thoroughly. Anomaly turned her eyes to the side as she frowned. Onaga pushed her from her chin onto the ground. "Pathetic. I bring you here, make you my personal servant, and this is the gratitude you show me?"

"I'm sorry Emperor. It won't…happen again." She apologized. Onaga shook his head in disappointment.

"Dismiss." Anomaly stood up on her feet and picked up the empty cup from the floor. She felt the liquid Ale under her shoes as she almost slipped.

"Would you like me to—"

"Leave." Onaga commanded. "Now." Anomaly walked out of the room. Her sad look turned into disgust as the doors to his Throne Room were shut. She examined the golden cup as she reflected upon what happened.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up." She whispered. She began to storm off to the kitchen. She makes it there and gives the cup to another servant to have it cleaned out. She walks outside and begins to daydream about her life back in Edenia. She reflected on how bright, lively, and peaceful it was there in comparison to the harsh & gloomy setting of Outworld.

"…he's going to…Outworld…" Anomaly faintly overheard a voice. She looked to her left and saw a nearby door cracked open. She moves in closer to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"He's powerful, I'll give him that." Another voice responded. It didn't sound like anyone Anomaly knew of.

"With power comes arrogance. The Elder Lords aren't the type to be screwed with." Anomaly's senses kicked in. She noticed that voice.

"Isn't that Shao…?" She whispered to herself. She got close enough to take a quick peek into the room to see who all was in the room. "Reiko too?" She saw a third party in the room, but couldn't recognize him at all. He was younger, muscular, but thin. His mischievous looks based on his sharp goatee piqued her interest in who he was.

"If we don't do something about this soon…" Shao Kahn began.

"What is there to be afraid of?" the young male said.

"You're just an Earthrealmer. What would you know about the Dragon King of Outworld, Shang Tsung?" Shao Kahn asked.

"You'll be the Kahn of Outworld soon enough. There is only one move that you must learn before facing him. Something I learned during my stay in Earthrealm." He responded. Shang Tsung began to look towards the door where Anomaly was staring. However, she left from the door before he finished his last sentence. She was walking don't the hall rubbing her chin in curiosity.

"Shao…Kahn…" Anomaly thought to herself.

* * *

 ***Anomaly's Room***

Anomaly continues to read her book as she continues to mark her body with connecting tattoos. She ensures that the tattoo lines from her eyes, hands, feet, and both rib areas are connected to the circle drawn around her heart. As she puts the book down and stands up. She shapes her hands in the form of a clover around her heart area and closes her eyes, as she takes a deep breath.

"Gin Hea, Kuro Ningen itsu. Murasakino Manto, Ikiryo Shinjitsu. Aeito Gon. Adam Ie, Kimi wa tada. Watashi no Perusona Toru Ni…EVA!"

Anomaly's body began to glow. A dark purple cloak began to form around her. Her hair was glowing Silver, but reverted to black. She took on the appearance of a female shadow priest. She became…Eva. Anomaly walked towards a mirror and took a look at herself. She was definitely impressed with what she saw.

"It actually worked. Years of practice and I was actually able to take the appearance of a Shadow Priest." Anomaly walked to the window in her room and looked in the direction of Onaga's castle. She placed her palm on the glass and smiled. "And now I finally have the chance to kill you. But first, I need to hire someone to help."

* * *

 ***Hours Later at Onaga's castle***

Eva begins to walk from the home of Adam. Her hair was shown to be silver instead of black. She looked unharmed and heavily satisfied. Outside of his home was Eva's new partner-for-hire, Ashrah.

"I've never seen anyone smile as hard as you are unless…"

"I was actually able to kill the unkillable. That's more than enough of a reason to smile." Eva responded.

"How did you kill him then?" Ashrah asked.

"Simple. Just follow the rules of a Shadow Priest and you'll easily understand how to defeat them. That's why he made a rule that only One Shadow Priest can exist. Sucks for him that he refused to reveal himself, because if he never announced the Priest who's body he was currently in as his I would've never been able to declare myself as the real Shadow Priest. So he no longer exists." Eva explained.

"Remind me not to ask anything like that again." Ashrah requested as she rubbed her forehead. "So, how exactly are we supposed to defeat Onaga?" Eva gave Ashrah a normal expression. She then put her focus towards the top of Onaga's Castle.

"I just need you to be ready when I give you the signal. Similar to how you and your sister Tes—"

"Don't mention her name!" Ashrah snapped. Eva looked a bit surprised. Ashrah looked away from her. "Just…don't. But I understand the plan." Ashrah responded. Eva nodded with a disgusted look on her face.

Eva begins traveling down the halls of Onaga's Castle. None of the guards noticed her under the cloak. No one stopped her. No one saw her. No one questioned her. No one cared about her. She kept her head down to keep them from seeing her face—even though no one was looking at her face. Tears began to slowly run down her face as she tried to hold them back. She finally reached the area where Onaga's Throne Room was. However, she noticed that there was no handle. She looked around the door to see if there was some sort of secret keyhole or switch to open it but found nothing.

"You've got to be kidding me right now." She whispered to herself. "You literally have to be kidding me right now."

Eva tries to push the door open, but it doesn't work. She rattles it harder and harder. As everyone begins to hear the slight creaking of the doors, they start to notice her more. She turns around and sees that she's on the verge of blowing her cover. She begins to remember the one weakness of a shadow priest, and that's the emotion of doubt. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she turned away from the guards. She slowly walked towards the locked doors. She ended up on the other side of the doors and became startled. Onaga looked towards her, along with Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, Reiko, Sheeva, Baraka, Goro, Kintaro, and 4 other Guards.

"What are doing here?" Onaga questioned. Eva choked. She didn't know what to say. Before her were Onaga's Conspirators as well as his loyal servants. She knew she couldn't kill him in front of them all, but at the same time she already had the plan laid out. Everyone's eyes felt like sharp daggers piercing her. "I ASKED WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE?!" He roared loudly. Sweat began to run down Eva's face. She couldn't think of a way out.

"Strange, I've never known your Shadow Priest to seem so startled by your words." Shao Kahn responded.

"I am not…startled by him." She lied. "I came to talk about something…confidential. And I was not expecting company." Onaga looked at the crowd around him and then looked back at Eva.

"Then Talk we shall." Onaga responded. He waved his hand and sent the others out of the room. Each one glanced at Eva as they passed by her one by one. She kept her head down to avoid eye contact in the case that she's recognized. Once everyone was out of the room, the door to Onaga's throne room was locked shut. Eva raised her head to Onaga as he stood up. "Now speak, priest. Why did you come here just to interrupt my meeting?"

"I just…wanted to ask you a few questions." Eva responded. Onaga walked towards her.

"You come into my throne room just to ask questions?" Onaga questioned. Eva pulled away her hood. She released her long silver hair from the inside of her cloak. She looked directly into Onaga's eyes as a way to get use to his intimidating presence. He looked unto her in disappointment as he finally realized what was happening.

"What did you do to Adam?" Onaga asked.

"Who?" Eva responded with a smile. Onaga was annoyed as he stood over Eva. She felt as though she could pass out. She stood her ground.

"If you're going to impersonate him, at least take on his courage as well." He commented. "Now, ask your question child. Only ONE question."

"I have more than one question!" Eva snapped. "You still have a lot to answer for, such as the kidnapping and enslavement of those who live in realms outside of the ones Merged to Outworld!" Onaga ignored her. She got angered by his silence. "ANSWER ME!"

"Only. One. Question." Onaga repeated. Eva was annoyed.

"Do you fear being exposed? Everyone already knows about this." Anomaly stated.

"One thing I know is that if you can't prove my answer to be false, not only do you lose your powers but you also lose your very existence. That's why only one question is required." Onaga explained. "That's how you defeated Adam…right?" Eva closed her eyes and rubbed her hand across her forehead. She opened her eyes back up and looked him in the eyes again.

"Fair enough, one question it is." Eva agreed. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "What is my name?" Onaga smiled. He didn't flinch at her question.

"I gain my census numbers in real-time girl. I know any and everyone who enters, resides, and leaves Outworld. Just like how I know Ashrah is here." Eva's eyes slightly grew. "Just like how I knew you killed Adam. Just like how I know you're not a real shadow priest." He explained. Eva's blood began to rush. Onaga just continuously stared into her eyes.

"I'm…a true shadow priest." Eva commented.

"No, you're a worthless slave, and a stupid one at that. Of course you'd name yourself something closer to Adam. Something like Eve." He replied. "Or more like…Eva?"

Eva froze up. Her body went completely numb. She didn't know what to do, how to respond, or how to react. Tears began to roll down her eyes. Her face began to redden. Her eyes were strained. She was clenching her fist tightly as she slowly looked down at the ground below her. Onaga violently laughed at her misery as he achieved the victory he desired. However, nothing happened. Eva was still there. She was still standing. Onaga was confused.

"I…you." She mumbled.

"Hm? What was that?" Onaga asked. He felt someone playfully tap the left side of his shoulder. He turned around and saw Ashrah, who wasted no time striking him with a roundhouse kick to the chest with her boot. The kick was strong enough to cause him to stumble back. He was suddenly impaled through the heart by a Dragon Naginata from behind. He spat out blood from his mouth. He slowly turned around to get a glimpse of Eva.

"I hate you." She said faintly. Eva was on the ground and unconscious. Her hair was black again. Standing over her with the Dragon Naginata in her hand was Anomaly. She was separated from her persona. Onaga was surprised by her presence.

"The…servant?" Onaga struggled.

"I Hate You!" She yelled rather angrily. "I FREAKING HATE YOU!" Anomaly swiftly pulled her Naginata from Onaga's body. His blood began for leak from his chest relentlessly. He fell to the ground as he was unable to do anything. Anomaly was standing over his head.

"I can't believe that actually worked." Ashrah praised blandly. Eva ignored her.

"You don't care. You never cared! You're sickening. You're evil. You're disgusting. You couldn't even do the bare minimum or remembering my name!"

"Why…would I care…about the name of a woman…who…doesn't even…exist? Ha…ha…" Onaga mocked. Anomaly stepped back 2 feet. She practiced swinging her Naginata while ignoring Onaga. "I don't know…why you're practicing. You can't kill me." She continued to ignore him. Ashrah began drawing a magic symbol around his body with the blue fire on her fingertips. "When you get back…to the castle…no one's going to side with you." Onaga responded. He was still being ignored as she finally stopped practicing and closed her eyes. Ashrah had completed her symbol.

"And with this spell, his soul will be transferred to Quan Chi once and for all." Ashrah stated.

"ARE YOU TWO EVEN LISTENING TO ME?" Onaga shouted. Anomaly looked at him as she clenched tightly onto her Naginata with both hands.

"Let me help you out. Maybe you can at least keep this on your mind in the Netherealm." Anomaly responded. She raised her Naginata in the air with both hands, and swiftly slammed it on top of his forehead. "A…" She pulled the Naginata away from his head. A large split could be seen on his forehead as blood protruded from it. She raised her Naginata again and slammed it on top of his forehead. This time, it hit a bit further to the right. "…N…" She pulled it again, but this time she slammed the Naginata on top of his face. "…O…" She struggled to pull her Naginata from his face.

"If you kill him before the process is complete, I can't transfer his soul to Quan Chi." Ashrah stated dryly. Anomaly finally pulled the Naginata from his face and continued the process.

"…M…A…L…Y!" As she finished, Ashrah walked towards her in an attempt to stop her. Anomaly noticed and decided to swing her Naginata at Ashrah. Although Ashrah was able to avoid decapitation, she still received a small cut on her face. Ashrah wiped away the bit of blood that was coming from the cut. Anomaly was slightly troubled by what she had done to Ashrah as she knew her Naginata was dipped in poison. Ashrah had a disgusted look on her face.

"You tried to kill me?" Ashrah questioned.

Before Anomaly could even answer, they were interrupted as the doors to Onaga's throne room flew open. A dozen Guards, Baraka, Shao Kahn, and Shang Tsung rushed into the Room and noticed Onaga was dead. Ashrah clenched her teeth upon their arrival. The Guards were riled due to Onaga's death. Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung examined them from afar. Baraka was upset by what had occurred. Anomaly dropped her Naginata and stood firmly in front of them all. Shao Kahn slowly walked towards to her.

"Anomaly is it?" He asked. Anomaly nodded. She seemed more Star Struck than scared. Shao Kahn grinned as he looked back at Shang Tsung. Shang Tsung grinned in return and nodded. Shao Kahn looked back at Anomaly.

"Thank you."

* * *

 **End of Chapter 1**

 **Preview of Ch. 2 : Zaterrian Pride**

 _Anamoly continues to warm up against the Tarkatans using her Kobu Jutsu. Overlooking her from the Throne Room were Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung. They were impressed by her fighting abilities and coordinated prowess with her weapons._

" _She'd stronger than I gave her credit for." Shao Kahn stated._

" _Would you say that she might be a bit…too strong?" Shang Tsung questioned._

" _She did create a brand new entity who acts like a matured adult. She was able to defeat both Onaga and the original Shadow Priest in the span of a day. That's something that would usually take years of war to accomplish." Shao Kahn explained._

" _She's no ordinary warrior indeed. Not even Onaga was unable to create another living being through sorcery." Shang Tsung confirmed. "We might have to keep an eye on her." Shao Kahn closed his eyes._


	2. Zaterrian Pride

**Zaterrian Pride**

Years ago, a race of people known as the Saurians resided in the realm of earth. They are a Reptilian race whose appearance could take on the form of a human. However, when Raiden and Shinnok were at war for possession of Earthrealm Raiden sent Earthrealm into the dark ages, causing the entire Saurian race to flee to a realm they called Zaterra. Their time away from Earthrealm caused their true forms to show. They lived in peace for many decades after, but their piece is threatened by the presence of Shao Kahn. In 24 Hours, Outworld will be facing Zaterra in Shao Kahn's most successful Mortal Kombat Tournament. If Zaterra wins, they will have another 500 years to live in harmony. However, if they lose…

"Zaterra is ours." Anomaly finishes. She's talking with Baraka, who'd been practicing with her. Over the past 7,000 Years, Anomaly had been Outworld's champion. Every Decade or so, she'd face off against warriors from a realm of Shao Kahn's choosing. She conquered over 700 realms throughout her time in Outworld. However, the realms she faced were smaller. Their warriors were weaker. She's just now jumping into the big leagues for the first time. However, before she can take on the responsibilities, she must improve her skills to be better prepared for the swift and cunning Saurians.

"You must learn how to face an enemy who's fast. One you cannot see. Simply knowing how to fight isn't going to help." Baraka responds.

"There are other tricks to winning the tournament than just knowing how to physically overpower your enemy, Baraka." She responded back.

"Don't get overly cocky, girl. Just because you won a few hundred tournaments, that doesn't mean you'll win against the foe that has had over 7000 years of combat knowledge dedicated specifically to you." Baraka added. Anomaly shrugs. Anomaly continues to warm up against the Tarkatans using her Kobu Jutsu. Overlooking her from the Throne Room were Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung. They were impressed by her fighting abilities and coordinated prowess with her weapons.

"She'd stronger than I gave her credit for." Shao Kahn stated.

"Would you say that she might be a bit…too strong?" Shang Tsung questioned.

"She did create a brand new entity who acts like a matured adult. She was able to defeat both Onaga and the original Shadow Priest in the span of a day. That's something that would usually take years of war to accomplish." Shao Kahn explained.

"She's no ordinary warrior indeed. Not even Onaga was unable to create another living being through sorcery." Shang Tsung confirmed. "We might have to keep an eye on her." Shao Kahn closed his eyes. He suddenly opens them and realizes it was just him daydreaming. Shang Tsung was gone. It was the evening. Everyone was somewhere else—Eating Dinner, Bathing, or Sleeping. He decided to spend the rest of his day resting on his throne as he contemplated on the conversation he had in his dream.

* * *

 ***Meanwhile on Zaterra…***

The realm of Zaterra is very similar to the average rural Earthrealm town. The buildings were painted in a green camouflage pattern to blend in with the greenery. This is helpful for keeping their realm hidden from invaders, especially at night. There is also a War Tower that floats above the Zaterrian Castle in which the Queen, Kreeya, resides. Khameleon is in charge of the War Tower and its warriors. She is also the Sister of Kreeya.

"What?!" Khameleon yelled. She was before the throne of Kreeya. Kreeya wasn't fazed by her outburst.

"We can't keep running from our problems. They know who we are and where we are. They'll just keep following us until we run out of options." Kreeya explained.

"Why can't we just decline the offer?" Khameleon requested. "He can't force us to face him in the tournament."

"He can legally go to war with our Realm if we decline. That's why we're holding off our answer."

"The Elder Gods won't help?" Khameleon asked worriedly. Kreeya nodded. "So I'm guessing the rumors of him enslaving those who decline was true."

"We have more than capable warriors who can take on the Champion of Outworld. Their other warriors aren't as fast, or smart, as we are. It's only two warriors we must worry about: Shang Tsung and Anomaly." Kreeya responded. "Shang Tsung is getting older. He's going to get weaker if he lacks the souls. Between Shao Kahn and Anomaly, he does not have enough souls to survive long enough against our faster warriors. Anomaly, however, is over confident. We need that."

"Are there any warriors in particular that you'd like me to anoint as our Champion?" Khameleon asked.

"The council and I had this discussion earlier and have already decided upon one."

* * *

 ***Elsewhere in Zaterra…***

"REPTILE!"

In an open field, Reptile is suddenly attacked by two members of the Locust Clan; one Male, one female. The Locust Clan is a cult of Saurian assassins who have a mission to return Zaterra's rule back to Earthrealm. They usually work in teams of two. There are multiple tiers for each team, so their skill levels differ depending on their tier. The team fighting against Reptile was tier 3.

"We've been tasked with killing you before Shao Kahn's arrival." The female member stated.

"You betray your own realm? Follow the rule of an Outworld Dictator?" Reptile questioned. The two jump towards Reptile with Blades in their hands and begin to swipe at him. He easily dodges each of their attacks for a while. The two assassins decide to go invisible and back off from their attack. Reptile attempts to concentrate to try and hear the footsteps of the assassins.

"To your left." Reptile hers a voice from behind and turns his attention away. Suddenly, he gets slashed deep in his right rib. He falls to his knees as the two assassins reveal themselves. The Woman was on his right side while the Male was behind him. "I told you on your left. What did you turn around for?" the voice continued.

"Who dares attempt to assist the target?" The Male assassin asked. Suddenly, he is killed off by his partner. She gashed his esophagus with her Sword, causing him to choke to death on his own blood. Reptile looked onto the woman in confusion. She turns invisible and runs from the area.

"She…cut me…then killed her partner?" Reptile thought to himself. He slowly walked back into the town. His injury was slightly grave, but a doctor was nearby. While he was walking, he was spotted by Khameleon.

"No!" She shouted. She rushed over to him and wrapped his arm behind her back. "Help! We need help!" She called for people to come help her bring Reptile to the nearby hospital. Others began to crowd around them trying to figure out what had happened. He explains the situation to them, something that causes them fear.

"What are we going to do now?" One of the civilians asked.

"What do you mean 'what are we going to do?'" Khameleon snapped. "We're…we're going to take them on." Everyone around them was uncomfortable with Khameleon's decision. They began to talk amongst themselves in worry of what would happen if they fought against Shao Kahn's champion and lost. This was heavily upsetting to Khameleon. Reptile placed his hand on Khameleon's shoulder.

"We still have less than 18 hours before the tournament begins. In that amount of time, I should be healed up enough to hold my own against her for a while." Reptile assured.

"We have over 100 different warriors who could take your place. We're not going to let you face off against Outworld." She responded.

"He survived the attack against the Locust Clan." One of the civilians stated.

"HE'S NOT IN THE BEST CONDITION TO FIGHT THIS TOURNAMENT!" Khameleon shouted. "What's wrong with you all? Have we really become cowards?"

"We've always been cowards and you know it." One of the Guards responded. Khameleon looked at him in disgust. "For God's sake, we live in a camouflaged realm." He added. She wanted to say something, but she knew he was telling the truth.

"You were for us running away to avoid the tournament before. What made you change your mind now?" Another Guard asked. Khameleon looked towards the ground.

"What choice do we really have?" Khameleon muttered. She then looked up at the people. "If I were allowed to participate, I'd fight against them!"

"Easier said…than done." Reptile responded. "Besides, the less people the better. They'd be more likely to only use one match with me and the champion if I'm the only one to participate." Khameleon couldn't deal with the situation. Between Reptile being heavily injured and the cowardice of the Zaterrian Army, she was very frustrated.

"Fine. Have it your way." She then walks away from the crowd, leaving Reptile in the hands of the Zaterrian doctor.

* * *

 ***Back in Outworld…***

Anomaly arrives before Shao Kahn in his throne room with a silver cup in her hand. She sips out of the cup before speaking with him.

"Was there something you wanted to talk with me about, emperor?" She asked.

"You still haven't told me what happened that day. I've been putting it off for centuries hoping to get my answer.

"And you ask 7000 years later?" Anomaly asked.

"We face a foe greater than any you've fought against before. Your ability to defeat them will bring us steps closer to taking on Edenia…and eventually Earthrealm." Shao Kahn responded. Anomaly finishes off her drink.

"Will you ever tell me why merging the realms is so important?" Shao Kahn didn't answer her. She smiled and shook her head. "It looks like we'll both be keeping secrets then." She responded.

"Indeed we will." Shao Kahn muttered.

"Oh, I have one more thing to tell you." Anomaly stated. "It seems we've permanently gained the upper hand with Zaterra." Anomaly began to pull out a scroll from her back pouch and tosses it onto Shao Kahn's lap.

"What is it?" he asked. Anomaly started laughing hysterically. Shao Kahn showed his irritation towards her loud laugh. He took the scroll and opened it. As he thourough read its contents, he began to grin heavily.

* * *

 **End of Chapter 2**

 **Preview of Ch. 3: And The Winner is...**

 _Khameleon watches on from her tower. She begins to pray as she spots both Reptile and Anomaly staring each other down. She worries for the outcome of the battle due to Reptile's injury. She also looks down to see her sister Kreeya along with the rest of the council members whom are the spectators & judges of the tournament._

" _In the case that Reptile has to pull out from the match, how do you see us faring against the Emperor's men?" One of the guards asks._

" _You had your chance to help. If you want my advice, pack your bags and leave as soon as you can." She responded._

" _It wouldn't hurt to deny the invitation and just work under him until we can gain the upper hand." The guarded added._

" _He's not stupid. Besides, we still have one person we need to take care of before we can pull that off." Khameleon states as she concentrates on the fight._


	3. And The Winner Is…

**And The Winner Is…**

It is now the next day. The Tournament between Outworld and Zaterra has begun. The only people present were Shao Kahn, Reiko, Anomaly, Shang Tsung, Kreeya, Reptile, and the Zaterrian Counsel. Shao Kahn seemed to have been hoping for multiple warriors to face off against his champion in the tournament. However, none of the other Zaterrian warriors decided to show up.

"Alright Queen, it's been 5 minutes since I've finished my speech. Where are the rest of your warriors?" Shao Kahn asked. The Queen looked over at the Zaterrian council for their thoughts. They all agreed to proceed with the tournament without the other warriors.

"Reptile is the only warrior brave enough to challenge you. He will fight all of your warriors." Kreeya replied.

"You do realize that you have an injured warrior defending the safety, security, and freedom of your Realm. You might as well hand over your Realm to me." Kahn suggested.

"He does not care. Therefore, we will continue with this tournament." Kreeya responded. Shao Kahn shook his head in disappointment.

"Anomaly, if you fail to pull this off, I'll kill you myself." Shao Kahn stated as he looked towards Anomaly. She yawned in response. She began to walk onto the open area that was being used for the tournament.

"For an emperor as ruthless as you, I never expected your champion to act so casually towards you." Kreeya commented.

"Oh, you're talking about Onaga. Yeah, he was a bit of a jackass." Anomaly responded. "Kahn's not as ruthless as you think, except when you piss him off or during an assault against stubborn foreigners."

"I see." Kreeya responded. The Council members began to whisper amongst themselves. "Reptile…just relax. You will beat her." Reptile looked towards Kreeya and nodded. He stepped into the open area along with Anomaly. They both slowly circled around one another, waiting for the match to start.

* * *

* **At the Battle Tower…***

Khameleon watches on from her tower. She begins to pray as she spots both Reptile and Anomaly staring each other down. She worries for the outcome of the battle due to Reptile's injury. She also looks down to see her sister Kreeya along with the rest of the council members whom are the spectators & judges of the tournament.

"In the case that Reptile has to pull out from the match, how do you see us faring against the Emperor's men?" One of the guards asks.

"You had your chance to help. If you want my advice, pack your bags and leave as soon as you can." She responded.

"It wouldn't hurt to deny the invitation and just work under him until we can gain the upper hand." The guarded added.

"He's not stupid. Besides, we still have one person we need to take care of before we can pull that off." Khameleon states as she concentrates on the fight.

* * *

* **Back on the field***

The Tension rises as the two kombatants wait for Kahn's infamous line.

"FIGHT!"

Reptile speeds past Anomaly. She was surprised at how fast Reptile could move, even when he was injured. As Anomaly begins to turn her head, she is elbowed in the face by Reptile. Her body begins to soar across the field, but was still in reach for Reptile to grab her leg and prepare to strike Anomaly dead. Suddenly, Anomaly blows purple dust into Reptile's Face, causing him to release her leg. She lands on her hands and fire began to surround her right leg. She propels herself towards Reptile and kicks him in the chest, causing an explosion which knocks him back a few feet. Shao Kahn Laughs while the Council members begin to whisper amongst themselves again. Kreeya's eyes widened. As the smoke cleared, Reptile began to stand up, holding his side again.

"Rrrrhh, Dark Sorcery." Reptile growled. "I fought a sorcerer of the Netherealm once who could disable dark sorcery. Too bad for her, I didn't use dark sorcery." Anomaly gets a vision of Ashrah in her mind. She remembers how upset she was the night Onaga was killed. She was promised his soul, but instead she got gratitude and punishment.

"So…you're not any ordinary Zaterrian. You've been around haven't you?" Anomaly commented.

"We've been hiding for years—studying your every move. You're not as powerful as you perceive yourself to be. Trickery and deceit can only take you so far." Reptile responded.

"You're right. That's why I've been studying you this whole week." Anomaly revealed. "By the way, you're welcome." Everyone was suspicious over the validity of her words. However, Reptile was able to piece together what he now thinks may have been fate the day before. "So that's why I think I'm ready to take you on in a melee fight."

Anomaly summons her Kobu Jutsu and makes direct eye contact with Reptile. Reptile continues to stare at her. Anomaly decides to attack first as she wildly swings her weapons at Reptile. Reptile dodges her attacks and spits acid on both of his claws. He swings his claws consistently towards Anomaly. Although she fared well against his assault, she was still taking a few minor burns from the acid that was being flicked from Reptile's claws. The two continued to exchange non-lethal blows against each other, yet they both kept up with each other. Reptile's attacks started to slow down, but his accuracy was beginning to catch up with Anomaly's movement. Anomaly's pain from her minor burns was starting to get to her. She began flinching before executing some of her attacks which have cause Reptile to fair a bit better against her.

Everyone was amazed by the fight between the two. Kreeya and the Zaterrian counsel were impressed by Reptile's ability to keep up in the fight even with his injury. Khameleon and her subordinates were on the age of their seat in the battle tower, hoping that Reptile would actually pull off a move that could kill Anomaly before she kills him. Reiko was curious as to why it seemed that Anomaly was struggling against Reptile. Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung were not surprised at all. Both Anomaly and Reptile decide to stop attacking each other to take a breath.

* * *

"Is it against the rule to request a 15 minute break? Maybe even a snack break?" Anomaly complained. Kreeya and the council were confused by her words. She drops her Kobu Jutsu weapons onto the ground. She decided to lie on her back and look into the stars in the sky. Kreeya was thrown off.

"Is…is she being serious?" Kreeya questioned. Shao Kahn closed his eyes and didn't respond. Shang Tsung shook his head in disappointment.

"Those stars in the sky seem almost like multiple gateways to other realms. Sometimes when I visit a realm, I tend to count the stars and line them up with my kill count. I try to always do everything I can to ensure that my kill count never surpasses the realm I'm visiting." Anomaly discussed.

"What are you going on about?" Reptile questioned. Anomaly laughed.

"You still don't get it do you." She responded. "Don't worry, you'll see exactly why I'm considered undefeatable by all of the realms."

Anomaly wasted no time as she tossed both of her Kobu Jutsu at Reptile. They were three feet in front of Reptile as he simply moved his body to the side. Both of the Kobu Jutsu weapons scraped the top of his shoulder. They then strike a large boulder which splits in three and crumbles to pieces. Reptile's thick, scaly shoulder blades were hardened, so the blades didn't harm him. Reptile then rushes towards Anomaly. He spits acid on his hands and As Reptile prepares to use his final blow, Anomaly's Kobu Jutsu weapons return from the rubble and fly toward Reptile. They Strike him in his shoulders, this time digging their way into the areas below Reptile's Shoulder blades. As he falls to the ground face first, Anomaly takes her Kobu Jutsu from his back. She begins to chuckle at the look on Reptile's face. Everyone was saddened by what had happen.

"Listen, we've been going on with this for a while, but if you haven't notices, there's a full moon tonight and I have some really important business to take care of after we finish claiming this realm. So if you don't mind, people just die."

Anomaly sends her Kobu Jutsu away and summons her Dragon Naginata. She holds the lance in a Templar like stance, prepped to pierce Reptile into his heart. However, before she could even accomplish her goal, Reptile uses his special move: Basilisk. Time begins to slow down drastically for Reptile as he is able to move out of the way of Anomaly's attack. He then processed to spit a heavy amount of acid on his hand and pierces Anomaly through her Stomach. Time reverts back to normal speeds. Everyone is in awe at the end result of the match. Even Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung were in slight disbelief. Reptile moves back with his hand coming out of Anomaly's stomach. Acid and blood dripped from Reptile's hand and Anomaly fell dead onto the ground.

"I can't believe it. He actually won. Reptile saved our realm!" Khameleon shouted to her men at the Zaterrian Battle Tower. She began to shout and laugh in relief after the results of the match. Kreeya was still unable to process what happened. She was just as much in shock as everyone else was. The Council began to clap and cheer for Reptile as he had just saved their realm.

"I…was right." Kreeya started as she grinned. She began to tear up. "I was right about choosing you all along!" she shouted. Kreeya arose from her seat and ran directly towards Reptile. She congratulated him with a big hug. He was still in pain and a bit shocked at his victory, but he was very happy nonetheless.

"Reptile Wins. FATALITY!" All of the council members were filled with joy. Reiko and Shang Tsung were angered by the loss of Anomaly. However, Shao Kahn didn't seem upset at all. Reptile won, but for some odd reason, Shao Kahn laughed.

* * *

 **End of Chapter 3**

 **No Preview for Chapter 4 Due to Major Spoilers.**

 **(Ch. 4: Betrayal of a Royal Spy)**


	4. Betrayal of a Royal Spy

**Betrayal of a Royal Spy**

Anomaly was lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood. Kreeya and the Zaterrian Council were proud of Reptile's accomplishment. The Warriors in the Battle Tower began to celebrate their realm's victory against Outworld. They decided to leave the tower and join Kreeya, Reptile, and the Council on the field. While the Zaterrian warriors were chatting with Reptile, Khameleon rushed to Kreeya and embraced her.

"Oh sis, you were right!" Khameleon praised. "I should've never doubted your judgement." As they released each other, Kreeya gave her sister a warm smile. Khameleon was embarrassed by her actions as she had forgotten that she must not treat the queen so casually in front of others. However, Kreeya was more accepting of her action this time.

Many of the citizens from the realm come out of hiding to congratulate Reptile on a job well done. However, one person seemed to be much happier with the outcome of the match than everyone else. That person was Shao Kahn. He continuously laughed his heart out. The Zaterrians of the realm were confused by his reaction, especially Queen Kreeya.

"Is there something funny about the death of your ally?" Kreeya asked. Shao Kahn began to slow down his laughter as he prepared to respond to the queen. "She died participating in your barbaric tournament. Is this really how you repay those who faithfully serve you?"

"You really are worthless to your realm aren't you?!" Shao Kahn shouted. Kreeya was taken aback by Shao Kahn's words. Khameleon didn't take them so kindly.

"How dare you speak about the Queen like that outsider?" Shao Kahn shook his head in disappointment. Shang Tsung began to catch on to Shao Kahn's scheme. Reiko, however, was just as confused as the Zaterrians.

"Your other men should have joined this tournament as well." He responded.

Suddenly, over three dozen large portals hovered over the realm. As everyone in Zaterra looked at the sky full of portals, hundreds of soldiers fell from those portals. They were creatures of multiple different races from realms that Shao Kahn had conquered. It does seem that the forces of Zaterra are well prepared for this however. Although Kahn's Army was large and fierce, the armies of Zaterra prepared themselves for a strategic war. Kahn began to speak.

"The laws of the Elder Lords clearly state that at least one fighterwho represents _your_ Realm must fight in the 've disobeyed that ruled by foolishly using Reptile as a warrior for your battle." Shao Kahn explained. Kreeya was upset with Kahn's twisting of the rules.

"Although we were never born in this Realm, every ancestor in our race inhabited this realm and legally claimed it by the Elder Lords. Therefore we fought this tournament legally." She told him.

"And that's where you fail so miserably. The difference is that Reptile was actually born in Outworld." Shao Kahn Revealed. Most didn't believe him, but some people had suspicions towards the validity of Shao Kahn's claim.

"How?" Khameleon asked. "I thought my mother said him and his family fled to a Realm near Edenia." Reptile's parents have been in a feud with the Locust Clan for years. It's not known exactly why the Locust Clan wanted to kill them so much, but they did.

"Oh they did. And thanks to our untrustworthy ex-Emperor, it seems that he kidnapped Reptile's Parents before they even made it to that realm." Shao Kahn added. "No doubt, you could've easily won this tournament and had that swept under a rug. The problem is, however, that I had one person who payed close attention to this."

"And that person was me!" Anomaly Shouted. Everyone was shocked by the fact that she was still alive. Her wounds were healing slowly but surely as she arose from the ground.

"Resurrection Magic?" A council member questioned.

"First of all, it's called Necromancy. Secondly, no. All it takes is for me to stare into a full Moon for me to be resurrected. It's a secret of mine." Anomaly explained. Khameleon was frightened by the truth. She couldn't believe that their victory had backfired so quickly.

"So, you mean this tournament was…"

"A fluke? No. Shao Kahn and I already discussed this. We only chose to make this a tournament instead of an invasion due to a bet. If I won, Zaterra would be safe, and I'd have to face Shao Kahn one-on-one. That's why he felt he'd be able to kill me." Anomaly stated.

"And still can." Shao Kahn commented angrily. Anomaly folded her arms and kept eye contact away from him.

"However, if Reptile won, which he has, then Outworld would invade the realm and I'd have to take Kreeya's Soul." Anomaly added in disappointment. "That's why I took on the persona of a Locust Member. That's why I mortally wounded Reptile. That's why I was hoping to win this fight. But hey, a victory for Outworld is still a victory for me." Everyone was shocked by her explanation. Some people were scared. Some were angry. Some were saddened. Reptile, however, had a bland stare on his face. His mind was blank. His heart felt like it stopped. He couldn't move. Khameleon and Kreeya were beginning to worry about him as he stayed silent during the whole ordeal. Shao Kahn smiled as he saw that his words affected Reptile.

"Funny. For a Queen as caring as you, I'd expect you to have an accurate census on all of your citizens." Shao Kahn teased.

"Don't talk down to me Emperor!" Kreeya shouted. She seemed like a totally different person. She was more…enraged. Khameleon was stunned by Kreeya's outburst. The Council stood from their chairs as they prepared to protect the Queen. Reptile snapped out of his zone.

"So, the girl finally got a little spice in her voice." Anomaly joked.

"You invaded our realm through deceit and now you mock us?" Khameleon responded angrily. Kreeya looked towards Reptile.

"Reptile, I…" Kreeya's words were cut off quickly.

The entire field was silent. Everyone looked towards the Queen as she looked at them all. The citizens of Zaterrian seemed like they were frozen. Khameleon's left eye was twitching rapidly as she turned her attention to Kreeya's face. Some of the council members fell to their knees holding their chest. Anomaly's eyes thickened. Her mouth was wide open as she looked on in awe. Reiko seemed just as shocked as Anomaly. Shang Tsung was confused at first, but he began to grin. Shao Kahn attempted to maintain his serious demeanor, but he still let out a few silent laughs.

Kreeya's eyes started to seem blurry. She focused her eyes directly into Reptiles as he stood in front of her. She looked down at her chest and saw reptile's acidic arm slowly pull away from the inside. Her vision began to dim as she fell back. The last thing she saw was Kreeya reaching out to her.

"He just…killed the Queen." A council member announced. "HE JUST KILLED THE QUEEN!" The man shouted louder. Everyone began to run away in panic.

"Reptile…YOU TRAITOR!" Another Council Member shouted angrily. He rushed towards Reptile, but he was easily killed as Reptile accurately spit acid into the man's mouth. It was clear to everyone that Reptile had completely lost it and switched sides. He was now siding with his true birthplace, Outworld. The Soldiers of Zaterra had begun their counteroffensive against the Outworld Invaders.

"Kill any Zaterrian you come across. All stragglers will be captured and enslaved." Reiko commanded. The soldiers of Outworld began to violently slaughter the Zaterrians. Khameleon was still weeping over her sister's death. She began to lose focus on the invasion that was occurring before her. She decided to look up and saw Reptile staring directly into her eyes. He attempts to swipe at her, but she was quick enough move out of the way. She decided to run away and she didn't look back.

"I've got her." Anomaly claimed. She steals Kreeya's soul as promised by her bet. Kreeya's soul didn't increase Anomaly's power at all, much to her disgust. She summons a portal to travel to the location that leads to the Floating Battle Tower.

Reptile continues his slaughter of the other council members while the Outworld invaders kill off the realm's warriors. Hundreds of Zaterrian residents were killed fairly quickly by the Invaders. Many of them attempted to use their camouflage technique to hide from the invaders, but their disguises proved to be useless against the Centaurs. The smell of Death was everywhere. The Zaterrian Army was using the battle as a distraction to allow everyone to somehow evacuate Zaterra.

As Khameleon is continuously running through the battlefield, only avoiding death by ignoring the citizens and warriors struggling against the invaders, she looks up to the floating Battle Tower. She becomes conflicted as to whether she should join the fight and use the Battle Tower or if she should just find a way to escape Zaterra. She chose the latter as she felt that fighting against Shao Kahn would only ensure her death at his hands. Her choice was a wise one as multiple explosions were seen coming from the Battle Tower. The tower stopped floating and began to crash directly on top of Zaterra's Castle. The impact was so strong that it caused a powerful Earthquake. Khameleon fell to the ground, but she picked herself up and continued to run.

"I can't stay here." She thought to herself. "This isn't my home. This isn't real. This is a nightmare!"

* * *

Khameleon finally made it to a small, creepy forest with a cabin located in it. It was a new location that she had not known about before. She cautiously investigated the area around the cabin before deciding to go inside. She looks around the cabin to see if anyone was inside. There were grooming items and multiple books inside of the cabin. One particular section of the room had a magic circle with candles surrounding it. She investigated the circle further to see what it could've meant.

"There you are!" a voice shouted. Khameleon turned around and saw a Tarkatan with its blades unsheathed from his arms. Khameleon is able to kick the Tarkatan away and prepares to face off against him. As he ran toward her, he is suddenly killed by a small fireball from behind through the heart. Khameleon was confused by his sudden death. As she focused behind him to see who killed him, she was cracked across the face to the ground by Anomaly with the non-lethal side of her Naginata.

"How do you like my forest?" Anomaly asked. Khameleon didn't respond to her as she looked up. Anomaly shook her head while smiling. She planted her Naginata into the ground and sat Indian style across from Khameleon.

"You killed my sister, slaughtered my people, what more do you want?" Khameleon questioned as she began to cry.

"This is my forest in Zaterra. I used this area to plant the souls of the Zaterrians in the soil. Their souls become the trees you see in my forest." Anomaly began.

"Do you…enjoy mocking others? Is killing really that much of a joke to you?" Khameleon continued. Anomaly continued to smile.

"I can bring your sister back. Along with everyone else who lives in your Realm." Anomaly confirmed. "It's a simple process that I've been working on for the past few years. This place, this…Living Forest, is only the first step to my goal. Everyone I've killed and will kill, I wish to one day bring them back." Anomaly explained. Khameleon didn't believe her.

"Why would you? Aren't you working for Shao Kahn?" Khameleon asked.

"Just like Reptile and many others, I was kidnapped by Onaga from my home world—the realm of Edenia." Anomaly confirmed. Khameleon's tears were halted by Anomaly's confession. She dried her eyes and sat up from the ground.

"So, what do you want with me?" Khameleon asked.

"It's simple really. I'm going to take out Shao Kahn." She responded. "And I'll need your help." Khameleon looked to the ground to reflect on Anomaly's request. After some thought, however, she looked back up to Anomaly with a disgusted look on her face.

* * *

 **End of Chapter 4**

 **Preview of Ch. 5: Who We Were…**

 _"As you both know, this…emperor has a subordinate. Shang Tsung I believe it is?" Tesla began._

 _"You mean the stronger version of you?" Rain joked._

" _There will never be a sorcerer as strong as me. Not even my sister." Tesla boasted playfully._

 _"I know where this is going. Outworld destroyed Zaterra long ago. A woman who resided there gave me the rundown on his powers. Apparently, he absorbs the souls of fallen warriors to increase his power. Although this does increase the longevity of his life, it doesn't truly make him immortal." Raskal detailed._

 _"So he can be defeated then?" Rain asked. Tesla looked at Rain with a saddening glare._

 _"Defeated and killed are two different things. Besides…" Tesla looked towards the ground. She drew a magic symbol with her boot. "…he's not the real enemy here. Neither is Shao Kahn."_


	5. Who We Are

**Who We Are**

Edenia! It's one of the most peaceful realms in the universe. Throughout the entirety of its existence, they've only waged one war against another realm. They were the ones who arrived to Earthrealm during Raiden's War against Shinnok and they helped the Saurians escape by sending them to Zaterra. Ever since then, they have been working towards forging alliances with other realms in order to secure peace for all realms. However, that plan may have been compromised by the Rise of Shao Kahn and his inevitable invasion of Edenia.

Today, they will begin their last war, as they have declined Shao Kahn's tournament. The only way they can defeat Shao Kahn and rescue the other realms that he had conquered is with the help of the Elder Lords. However, their declining of the tournament is defiance to the Elder Lords as they are unbiased about those who decline Kahn's tournaments. Yet, there is still a way for them to ultimately defeat him; even if it means the inhabitants of the conquered realms have to die.

"Or was that not quite right, Rain?" the female asked. Lying on a bench in the middle of the Edenian courtyard was a young woman dressed in all white attire. Her name was Tesla.

"Why do you keep using those stupid nicknames?" Rain asked. He was young and tends to wear a sleeveless muscle shirt along with long black pants.

"Who was it that called me the "Twin Evil Sister Level Ashrah" again? Oh right, that was you." Tesla rebutted.

"At least it's closer to your actual name when you put it in an Acronym. What kind of name is Rain anyway?" Rain mumbled.

Tesla is the twin sister of Ashrah and a resident of Edenia. Although they are twins, she looks younger than Ashrah. Her hair is done in a ponytail and her clothing shows a lot more skin. Her eyes are red as opposed to Ashrah's green eyes.

Rain was the son of the current ambassador of Edenia. His mother was just a house wife who constantly looked after him when his father was gone. However, after his father had an affair with another woman and impregnated her two years ago, his mother committed suicide at the palace. Even though he was angered at the moment, he grew attached to his father's mistress. She eventually gave birth to his half-sister. This was his greatest reason for joining the resistance.

"Hey, at least you guys only have those as nicknames. My nickname is my actual name." ayoung man joked. That man was Raskal. He is very muscular but also very thin. He has spiky red hair and clear gray eyes with no pupils. He was born with Mirror View memory; in other words, he sees everything in reverse. Left is right and right is left. He, Rain, and Tesla became friends ever since they started going to school. They've kept no secrets from each other; even the most disturbing ones.

"Lokke says the deed is done. He requests that the three of you help us in the Northern District." A soldier reported. Rain, Raskal, and Tesla were part of the Edenian Resistance under the general named Lokke. Lokke was a powerful strategist and a hard headed leader. Like everyone else in Edenia, he was blessed with a special ability from the bloodline of an Elder Lord. He has the power to see the path of warriors. In other words, he can see which way a person will travel before they even know their destination.

"Why should we help the generic general with his homework? We're on Sindel's Defense force." Tesla responded.

"He says it's important. He believes an attack in the Northern District would heavily damage our forces, which will in turn allow the enemy to group up in the Northern District and threaten the lives of innocents." The soldier added.

"Wouldn't it be better to just send them down a path to Sindel's House while I send a stream of water down the path to destroy them?" Rain asked.

"Sorry, it's Lokke's call." The Soldier responded regretfully. Rain looked at Raskal, then at Tesla.

"Tell him to start without us. We'll be around there in 15 minutes." Tesla responded.

"Yes ma'am." The soldier ran off to give the message to Lokke. The other soldiers begin to head towards the Northern district while Rain, Tesla, and Raskal stay behind. Once the soldiers are cleared from the area, Tesla grabs Raskal and Rain's hands and walks towards a different path.

"Where are you going?" Rain asked.

"I need to talk to the two of you."

* * *

Tesla walks with Raskal and Rain to Sindel's Shrine, which was four minutes away from where they were. In the midst of the Shrine is a large statue of the Queen Sindel. Next to the statue is Sindel's Room. Usually, there would be Guards patrolling the area, but Shao Kahn's upcoming attack changed things.

"As you both know, this…emperor has a subordinate. Shang Tsung I believe it is?" Tesla began.

"You mean the stronger version of you?" Rain joked.

"There will never be a sorcerer as strong as me. Not even my sister." Tesla boasted playfully.

"I know where this is going. Outworld destroyed Zaterra long ago. A woman who resided there gave me the rundown on his powers. Apparently, he absorbs the souls of fallen warriors to increase his power. Although this does increase the longevity of his life, it doesn't truly make him immortal." Raskal detailed.

"So he can be defeated then?" Rain asked. Tesla looked at Rain with a saddening glare.

"Defeated and killed are two different things. Besides…" Tesla looked towards the ground. She drew a magic symbol with her boot. "…he's not the real enemy here. Neither is Shao Kahn." Tesla reveals a small letter that was signed by the Queen Sindel to Shao Kahn. The letter reads as following:

 _Dear Emperor of Outworld,_

 _I know you wish to take Edenia soon. However, taking it comes with a price. If you really wish to obtain the strongest of our warriors and the most of our riches, you must choose me as your prize. I will be your queen and all of the riches and power will be split evenly. The only thing standing between our goals is King Jerrod. Make sure you kill him so that the Realms can merge. Use an invasion as a diversion for his supporters and I'll take care of the rest. Make my survival the priority._

 _~Sindel_

"So it was already planned from the start?" Raskal questioned. Rain and Raskal are shocked by the contents of the letter. It didn't seem like something that Sindel would write. It wouldn't even make sense seeing how she really loves King Jerrod. Not only that, but if she felt Edenia was a lost cause in a war against Outworld, she would've just accepted the Tournament Invitation rather than choosing war.

"It could have been forged by anyone. There's no way…"

"It's authentic. It has an Elder Lord's Seal on it." Tesla proved. Rain was still disturbed.

"Use your spell and finish her already then." Raskal demanded.

"We're not dealing with her. Let Edenia be. We're going to Earthrealm." Tesla responded.

"That's not our Realm. What business do we have there? Is it about the guys who've been blackmailing you for all those years?" Raskal asked. Years ago, Tesla was attacked by a group of people while she went on vacation in Earthrealm with her sister. She and her sister were separated for years after that, but they occasionally switched places in times of need. They are cursed by the group to never be able to see each other again 'or else.'

"My sister has partial ownership over a clan on Earthrealm. They are going to be attacked by that group any minute now. My sister is also going to be a target of theirs. I want to fight them in her place." Tesla explained.

"Isn't your sister a powerful witch or something? What can a few bandits do to her?" Rain asked.

"These aren't just bandits. This is an army." Tesla explained thoroughly. At that moment, Sindel walked out of her room. She was dressed in her royal black and purple attire. Her long white hair flowed with the wind. To say she was thousands of years old, she looked really young. She looked at the three of them in surprise.

"Hm? I thought you three were off with Lokke in the Northern District." She said. The Three of them tried to keep their composure as they all knew of her true nature.

"We told him to start early and we'd catch up. I thought it would've been better for us to ensure your safety." Rain told her. He wanted to attack her, but the power of her spiritual aura prevented him from doing so.

"Is this true Tesla and Raskal?" Sindel asked. Raskal almost responded, but Tesla interrupted and decided to answer instead.

"No." She responded. Rain and Raskal gave her a worried look as if she was going to rat them out. Tesla looked at Rain. "It was me who made that call and you know it. You're not slick enough to think I'd let you take the credit." She said in disappointment. Sindel chuckled. Raskal face palmed himself while Rain just looked away pretending to be embarrassed.

"If you ever plan to succeed Lokke, you have to learn to be more humble like your father." Sindel suggested. Rain looked back at her and smiled. "Oh, that reminds me…" She began. "Where's your Step-Mother?"

"She should be at home with Tanya and Kitana shouldn't she?" Rain stated. Sindel's eyes widened. She took a deep swallow and fixed her expression to keep them from worrying. However, Raskal did catch her slight eye movement after Rain's response.

"R-right. Well, if you see her, tell her I'll be a bit busier than expected." Sindel responded. "Also, if it's not too much trouble please transport my Daughter back here after you deal with the Northern District ordeal. I'd feel more secure if they were living in my home." Sindel turns away from the group and begins to head towards the Castle. Rain, Raskal, and Tesla release a sigh of relief.

"Tesla, you B—" Before Rain could finish, Tesla slaps him in the face.

"You're such an amateur it's ridiculous." She stated. "Did it not occur to you who you were talking to?"

"Was it really that serious?" Rain questioned in anger.

"You're to never look Sindel in the eyes. When you hear her voice and stare into her eyes, you'll be forced to tell the truth. And that goes for you too Raskal. You almost gave our knowledge of the letter away." Tesla explained. "You two keep doing stupid stuff like this and I'll be all alone again." Tesla used her hands to cover her eyes as she shook her head in disappointment.

"There you go acting soft again." Rain commented. Tesla moved her hand from her face and created a small fireball. She pitched it directly at Rain. Before it could touch Rain, however, it combusted the empty space in front of him. A figure began to appear from the flames. Rain pulled one of his swords from his hilt and cut their head off.

"We're being watched." Raskal stated as he got into a defensive stance.

"You think?" Tesla responded. Rain went over to the head to inspect it. However, he felt an odd presence surrounding the area.

"Don't…move." A voice said to the three. Rain firmly gripped his sword.

"Rain!" Raskal Shouted. Rain held onto his sword, but didn't lose focus on where the voice came from.

"Drop your weapon, and surrender. Otherwise…" The figure deactivated their camouflage along with the other people who were surrounding the area. It was around 20+ assassins. "We'd have to kill all three of you." The voice that was talking to them turned out to be Khameleon. Her Hair was much larger than before. Both her hair and her body were of a ghostly clear color and she was wearing a green colored outfit.

"Locust Clan uniforms...Saurians." Tesla confirmed. Rain was angered by their presence. He decided to drop his sword and surrender to the assassins.

"Then…that means they've already arrived." Rain concluded.

* * *

 ***Northern District***

In the northern district of Edenia lied the death bodies of many Tarkatan soldiers. The Edenia resistance force was ultimately victorious in the battle against the Outworld warriors. Lokke was unharmed and a few of the soldiers were mortally wounded. However, those warriors were being tended to by Edenia's finest military medics.

"Where are the three musketeers? They said they'd show up ten minutes ago." Lokke asked. No one knew where they had been nor had they saw them. "How could they skip out on something as important as this? The main forces will be coming this way anytime soon."

"Ex-excuse me." A woman called out. Lokke looked to his left and saw a hooded woman holding onto two children.

"Isn't that Queen Sindel's daughter?" one soldier asked.

"Yes." The women replied. "I'm her sitter. It's my job to look after her when Sindel's busy."

"How could we assist you?" Lokke asked.

"I was supposed to bring Kitana back to her mother an hour ago, but I wanted to ensure the safety of both Kitana and my child from the soldiers. Kitana would be worth a lot to them in this war. All I ask is that you escort them back to the Castle." The woman requested.

"What about the second wave of Soldiers that'll be arriving?" One of the men asked.

"I remember hearing a few rumors about the Tarkatans. It seems they are feral. I think I know of a way to cause them to kill each other." The woman responded.

"Don't know how you'll do that, and I won't ask. If you believe you can stop, I'll trust you. If bad becomes worse, hopefully Rain, Raskal, and Tesla will show up." Lokke responded. "Ok men, let's head back to Sindel's Castle. We have an important escort mission to take care of."

The woman gives her daughter a kiss and gives the kids to two of the soldiers. As the men begin to walk down the path back to the Central District, the woman begins to walk towards the field of dead Tarkatans. She examines them and finds one in particular that seemed fierce. She collected its blood in a small capsule and hides it in her pocket. The souls of the dead Tarkatans began to surround her as she absorbed them all. She takes off her robe and reveals herself to be Anomaly, who didn't seem to age a bit.

* * *

 **End of Chapter 5**

 **Preview of Ch. 6: Lin Kuei: Inauguration**

"We have been assigned to a new task. And you have been assigned a special task as well, Frost." Noob Saibot responded.

"What kind of mission? Can't I handle it later?" Frost questioned. It seems that she's still a bit shaken up.

"You can't. You've been assigned to deliver a gift to a merchant." Shelia walked up to the two.

"I'll go with her. Lin Kuei of not, I want to go on a mission as well." she said bluntly.

"This is a high ranked mission, Shelia. You can't come regardless of your member status. No one can." Frost explained.

"Well, there is a mission you can accompany me on. It's not very dangerous, but it should be a great way to test you skills. If you do well, maybe the Grandmaster will reconsider allowing you to join us. That is, if your sister is alright with that." Shelia turns to Frost awaiting her approval. Frost sighed and nodded her head. She grabbed the gift and ran out the room to pursue her mission.


	6. Lin Kuei: Inauguration

**Lin Kuei: Inauguration**

While Edenia is dealing with their own demons, the denizens of Earthrealm may also be facing a new threat. Since the War between Raiden and Shinnok Centuries ago, Earthrealm and Edenia have been allied with each other. However, Raiden, Fujin, and the other Lords decided to keep knowledge of Edenia and the other realms to themselves. The Only two Earthrealmers who currently have knowledge about the outside realms are Ashrah and Tesla.

* * *

 ***Lin Kuei Temple***

It was a Thursday evening. Usually on these days, a test would be given to those training to join the Lin Kuei. These trials would be used to test the combat skills of the warriors to see if they are worthy of joining the Clan. The newest, and youngest, recruit currently in the process of taking on the trial was Shelia. She was the subordinate of Bi Han, codenamed Noob Saibot.

"This is a test of your skill and Brutality. Only one of you will be walking away from this fight. Shelia. Frost. You may both began your match." The Grandmaster signaled.

Shelia decided to make the first move. She swipes at Frost multiple times with her fist, but Frost easily dodges her attacks. Frost performs a roundhouse kick, but Shelia ducks her attack. She hops on top of Frost's shoulders and starts punching her in the head. With one powerful punch to Frost's head, Frost's entire body shatters into Ice Shards. Shelia's eyes widened.

"Strike One."

Frost appeared a few feet behind her with her arms folded. Shelia begins to form multiple ice shuriken and tosses them at Frost. Frost pulls out her dagger and attempts to deflect the ice shuriken. However, upon impact the shuriken began to freeze Frost's Arms and Legs. Shelia dashes towards Frost and attempts a roundhouse kick in the air. Frost is able to free one of her arms and she grabs Shelia's leg in time to stop her attack. She then tosses Shelia across the room, causing her to crash into a wall.

"Strike two." Frost continued.

"We are warriors and assassins, not ninjas." Noob Saibot commented.

Shelia picked herself up and nodded towards Bi Han. She then placed her focus on Frost who had entered a different stance. She entered a defensive position awaiting Shelia's next move. Shelia decides to rush her with another series of punches, which Frost dodged. Suddenly, Shelia fired a quick ice blast onto the floor behind Frost, causing her to slip on the pavement. Shelia pulls out her dagger and points it at Frost.

"You lose, Sister." Shelia stated. Bi Han facepalmed. The Grandmaster was angered by her action.

"Your fight isn't done. Lin Kuei don't spare their enemies." The Grandmaster responded.

"There's no reason to continue the fight. She's already done." Shelia replied. Frost was heavily disappointed. She hops onto her feet, much to Shelia's surprise.

"Strike three." Frost stated. She forms a brace made of ice around her leg as she bent her knees. "You fail!" Frost performs a powerful sky roundhouse kick to Shelia's face. The Ice also shatters on her face cause the attack to be much more brutal. Shelia is sent flying back into the same wall from earlier.

"Frost Wins. Shelia! You are hereby denied the privilege of being Lin Kuei. As this was your third chance, you are hereby forbidden from joining the Lin Kuei. You must be gone within the next hour. Dismissed." The Grandmaster commanded bluntly.

"What?!" Shelia shouted. She flinched as the pain from opening her mouth started to kick in. Frost was shocked by the Grandmaster's decision.

"Surely there's another way…"

"I don't ask for your tongue, Frost. I only ask for your obedience." The Grandmaster interrupted. "You know what'll happen if you leave the Lin Kuei." He then places his focus on Bi Han. "Noob Saibot, please inform Frost of what we spoke about earlier. And see to it that your trainee leaves our temple."

"Yes, Grandmaster." They both responded with a bow. With the Grandmaster away, the two of them raise their heads back up and look towards each other. Shelia began to rise up from the ground, albeit stumbling a bit.

"We have been assigned to a new task. And you have been assigned a special task as well, Frost." Noob Saibot responded.

"What kind of mission? Can't I handle it later?" Frost questioned. It seems that she's still a bit shaken up.

"You can't. You've been assigned to deliver a gift to a merchant." Shelia walked up to the two.

"I'll go with her. Lin Kuei of not, I want to go on a mission as well." she said bluntly.

"This is a high ranked mission, Shelia. You can't come regardless of your member status. No one can." Frost explained.

"Well, there is a mission you can accompany me on. It's not very dangerous, but it should be a great way to test you skills. If you do well, maybe the Grandmaster will reconsider allowing you to join us. That is, if your sister is alright with that." Shelia turns to Frost awaiting her approval. Frost sighed and nodded her head. She grabbed the gift and ran out the room to pursue her mission. Once she was away, Bi Han placed his cold hand on Shelia's shoulder. She looked up to him and saw the disappointment on his face.

"What?" She asked.

"One day, your feelings will become a heavy burden on your performance. If you cannot suppress them, then you cannot see your true potential."

"That's because you don't have a sister like I do." Shelia responded.

"Many members of the Lin Kuei joined because they were able to defeat their blood kin. Once you become a member of the Lin Kuei, we are your family." He confirmed. Shelia simply folded her arms as Noob Saibot walked away.

* * *

 ***Later that night at the Shaolin Temple***

"I never knew this temple was so close. It's really huge." Shelia blurted out.

"Quiet!" Noob demanded while whispering. "If they are asleep, we can easily sneak in." Shelia nodded. She walks to a nearby window and finds it open. As she's about to climb inside through the window, Noob grabs her leg to restrain her. She glanced at Noob then looked towards the floor inside. There were multiple Caltrops surrounding the area she was about to step in.

"Thanks." Shelia said.

"A key trait that every assassin needs is patience. One wrong move and it's all over." Noob Saibot explained. He uses his power to create thick ice blocks along the wall inside. He uses the ice blocks as a way to shimmy along the wall inside. Shelia follows his lead as the traverse the wall until they are away from the Caltrops and magic circle. Shelia lets out a deep sigh as Noob Saibot peaks out of the room's door to inspect the hallway.

"Now that the hard part's out of the way, what's our next plan of action?" Shelia asked. Noob Saibot returns his attention to her.

"We look for the amulet." He responded. "You want to be Lin Kuei? You must to complete your mission alone like Lin Kuei."

"You got it." Shelia responded in annoyance.

With the hallway clear, Noob Saibot decides to leave the room and heads to the stairs that go to the second floor. Shelia had taken a different route on the first floor. She snuck around the corners of the temple's third floor and spotted Ashrah and Scorpion, who had sealed a door shut. Behind the doors were a large number of Shaolin warriors who were called into the room for an emergency meeting. Apparently, it was a lie and a trap. Ashrah gave Scorpion the orders of searching this floor while she searches the second floor.

"Who are they?" Shelia questioned.

As Scorpion searched door to door, he never found the amulet, but many of the rooms had sacred weapons and charms. Seeing them as useful, Shelia decided to take one of the weapons. She chose the Chains of Light, which are said to be a weapon that could dismantle all forms of light magic. Another section of the room began to peak her interest. She saw a book on alchemy and decided to take it with her.

"Now that that's out of the way, I should probably hurry to the second floor." She whispered to herself.

As she tried to leave the room, she was spotted by Scorpion. Before he even spoke, Shelia used her Chains of light to destroy the lock that was on the door. Apparently, the lock was fused with light sorcery. As the doors opened, the Shaolin monks escaped and prepared to face-off against Scorpion. Shelia disappeared using a camouflage smoke screen.

* * *

 ***Meanwhile…***

Noob Saibot continued to survey the hallway. He finally comes across a door with a lock and chains wrapped around it. No doubt, it was the exact room he was looking for. As he tampered with the locks using his ice powers, he felt a warm presence behind him.

"Tasked with stealing Shinnok's Amulet?" As Noob Saibot turned around, he saw Raiden, Lord of Thunder. Noob Saibot realizes that he's compromised and tries to come up with a plan to escape with the Amulet. "I am a Lord of Thunder, Bi Han. You can't escape from me."

"I know who you are, Thunder Lord." Noob Saibot responded. "I highly doubt you came here just because of me. Someone else is here! Someone even you are afraid of." Noob Saibot deduced. Raiden lowered his brows as he continued to stare at Noob Saibot.

"What you truly seek is your ancestors' Dragon Medallion. Am I right?" Raiden asked.

"What do you know of my ancestors? You allowed them to die. Left me and Kuai Liang in the hands of Mercenaries. Turned us into killers for hire." Bi Han responded. "Whose life are you here to ruin this time?" Raiden tosses him the Dragon Medallion. Noob catches it and inspects it.

"Give this to your Grandmaster. Relay a message for me: 'STAY OUT OF MY TEMPLE!'" Raiden commanded.

"This won't make up for what you did, Elder Lord." Noob commented.

"You're not finished yet, Bi Han. You chose to bring that girl with you. And she caused the bloodshed of many Shaolin at the hands of the Shirai Ryu. Therefore, you must fix this by taking care of the current leader, Ashrah." Raiden demanded.

"She did what?!" Noob Saibot shouted in anger. Luckily no one was able to hear him.

"Heed my demands, for if they are not fulfilled, you and your clan will suffer my wrath." Raiden confirmed. "THERE ARE FATES WORSE THAN DEATH!" Raiden raises his hand in the air and teleports away. The loud roar of thunder could be heard all around the temple. Noob Saibot clenches onto the Medallion as he waits for his target.

"Noob." Someone whispered. Shelia quickly tiptoed to Noob.

"What the heck did you do?" Noob questioned.

"I got caught up. Seems like you…you have the Amulet." Shelia answered. Noob wanted to correct her, but it didn't matter to him whether or not she knew what it was. "Why didn't you return to the Temple without me?"

"Because of you, I can't." he responded.

"Oh? You really do care don't you?" Shelia joked as she looked around the hall.

"That is not…" Noob Saibot began to hear the sound of footsteps inside the Chained Room. He attempts to pull the chains apart, but his attempt fails. He tries to use his ice power to freeze the chains, but he's still unable to do it.

"What's wrong?" Shelia asked.

"Something's wrong. This door won't open." Noob responded. Shelia uses her Chain of Light to break the lock. Noob doesn't question it as he quickly opens the door. Inside, he spots a woman dressed in all white holding Shinnok's Amulet.

"It's the woman from before!" Shelia shouted.

"It's Ashrah kid, not 'Woman from before.'" Ashrah mocked.

"You will hand that Amulet to me immediately!" Noob Saibot threatened. Ashrah was unfazed by his threat. She pins the Amulet on her pants and creates a portal.

As she attempts to escape the temple, Noob Saibot tackles Ashrah through the portal. They both end up outside of the Temple. Ashrah throws Noob Saibot off of her and arises to her feet. He also rises from the ground and goes unto an offensive stance.

"Did the Elder Lord send you? Or was it your pathetic Grandmaster." Ashrah taunted.

"My only concern is that Amulet. If you won't hand it over, then you're coming with back to the Lin Kuei temple along with the Amulet." Noob Saibot clenches the Dragon Medallion tightly. It begins to glow, attracting the attention of Ashrah.

* * *

 **End of Chapter 6**

 **Preview of Ch. 7: Shirai Ryu: The Exodus**

 _Frost had found her client atop of a vacant mountain. It was a woman dressed in a dark purple robe, in which she wore the hood to cover up her head._

 _"Here's the merchandise you ordered." Frost pulled out a small package from her pocket. It felt like it was somewhat valuable._

 _"Great timing, Frost. They said you were the best." The woman praised. Frost wasn't very amused, but she was appreciative._

 _"So, between you and me…"_

 _"It's a medallion forged by the members of your clan." The client confirmed. "It's actually kind of impressive to say it's not the real deal."_

 _"What do you mean? You're buying a fake?"_

 _"It's a necessary purchase. It's not Shinnok's real medallion, but it does have the same amount of spiritual power. Here, take this piece." The woman hands Frost an ice ring. At that moment, Frost felt an intense pulse flow through her._


	7. Shirai Ryu: The Exodus

**Shirai Ryu: The Exodus**

Noob Saibot fires a Ghostball at Ashrah. However, it disperses upon impact. He then attempts to summon a Shadow Doppelganger to attack her. It attempted to punch Ashrah, but before it could even touch her, it disintegrated into nothingness. Noob Saibot was confused by what was happening. Ashrah ran towards him as he entered a defensive stance. She strikes him with a right hook to the rib cage. Suddenly, Noob's eyes widened as the pain of the strike started to become unbearable. He fell on his knees as he held his side.

"What was that?!" Noob yelled. Ashrah laughed as she reflected upon the magic circle that was drawn on her glove.

"The almighty Glove of Light Magic—crafted by yours truly." Ashrah responded. "Be glad it was just a right hook." Noob's pain began to go away as he rose up from the ground. He attempts to use another Ghostball, but finds himself unable to create it. "Don't even try. I've already eaten more than half of your dark energy away."

"That's…impossible." Noob whispered to himself.

"Quit playing around, Noob Saibot. Or should I call you by your real codename, Sub-Zero?" Ashrah mocked. Noob's forehead began to scrunch up. He became furious and annoyed by her disrespectful attitude throughout the fight.

"Never call me by that name." Noob Saibot responded.

"Why not? You didn't seem to hate that name before?"

"That codename is the name of a liar; a cold blooded killer. It's tainted. I don't use that moniker anymore." He explained.

"Don't know why not, seeing how you killed my co-leader Scorpion!" Ashrah shouted. Noob was shocked. He turned away from her as he realized who she was.

"So it was you pulling the strings the entire time, huh?" Noob Saibot asked. Ashrah closed her eyes.

* * *

 ***Meanwhile***

Scorpion is far away from the Shaolin Temple. He doesn't take a break as he continues to trek towards the Shirai Ryu temple. Little did he know he was being followed by Shelia. She silently moved from tree to tree as it began to snow. She used that to her advantage as she moved in closer to Scorpion. He suddenly turns around only to be sucker punched by Shelia, knocking him to the ground.

"I thought the leader of the Shirai Ryu would be smarter than that." Shelia mocked. She squints her eyes as she notices that Scorpion looks different. "Wait…you're not Hanzo. Who are you?" she questioned.

"I'm just a messenger." He responded. Shelia began to grab her hair as she reflected upon the fact that she was chasing a fake Scorpion.

"WHERE IS THE REAL SCORPION?!" She shouted.

 ***This morning at the Shirai Ryu Temple***

Ashrah is looking onto the battlefield feeling frustrated. She failed her task and knew what the consequence would be. The Shirai Ryu is a strong group of warriors, but they are no match for the powers of the enemy force that would be approaching. Her feet began to glow red.

"This is just great. Centuries of controlling a powerful clan will go down the drain because of one stupid little girl's actions. How embarrassing. Plus, the time to switch places is now." Ashrah prepared to use a spell as she raised her right hand in the air. Suddenly, a messenger busted into her private quarters. Usually, her door would be sealed with a powerful spell, but she hasn't been in her private quarters in years ever since Anomaly transferred her to the Netherealm centuries ago.

"Grand Master Scor…er you're…..Grand Master Ashrah?!" he questioned.

"In the flesh, it's nice to see you again. Scorpion was killed by Noob Saibot last night." She explained. Her eyes began to slowly drift off. "And I haven't really had a rest in a few years."

"I'm sorry ma'am. It looks like you won't get to rest today. We're under attack and losing men faster than we can count to 1000."

"Then learn to count faster." She said sarcastically. "I know we're under attack by the Brotherhood of Shadow. Gather your things because we're leaving, today!" Ashrah's tone became very serious. She had a worried look on her face.

"Yes ma'am. Is there anything specific you'd like for me to take?" the messenger asked. Ashrah looked to the ground to reflect on his question. Suddenly, she came up with a great idea. She looked at the dead Scorpion's uniform. She then transferred her attention towards her messenger and smiled with her eyes opened wide.

 ***Present***

"Are you lying to me?" Shelia asked.

"No! I'm telling the truth!" the man responded. Shelia picked the man up by his shirt and tossed him into a nearby tree. She proceeded to beat the man until she could feel his blood on her hands. Once she's had enough, she decides to restrain his arms using her chains of light.

"Then if it's true, the Lin Kuei should be getting attacked right now. Am I right?" Shelia asked. The messenger made a slight nod as he was too injured to talk. Shelia slapped the messenger, prompting him to answer her by nodding harder. "Good. Then you're going to escort me back to Shirai Ryu Temple."

* * *

 ***Sometime later***

Frost had found her client atop of a vacant mountain. It was a woman dressed in a dark purple robe, in which she wore the hood to cover up her head.

"Here's the merchandise you ordered." Frost pulled out a small package from her pocket. It felt like it was somewhat valuable.

"Great timing, Frost. They said you were the best." The woman praised. Frost wasn't very amused, but she was appreciative.

"So, between you and me…"

"It's a medallion forged by the members of your clan." The client confirmed. "It's actually kind of impressive to say it's not the real deal."

"What do you mean? You're buying a fake?"

"It's a necessary purchase. It's not Shinnok's real medallion, but it does have the same amount of spiritual power. Here, take this piece." The woman hands Frost an ice ring. At that moment, Frost felt an intense pulse flow through began to feel sick to her stomach, as if she were poisoned.

"Wha-what?"

"Sadly, for as cool as this Amulet is, it's not MY amulet." She responded. "I know you made this on your own. I'm guessing the Lin Kuei never got my request then?" Eva asked.

"You…your boss…would've destroyed one of the clans…" Frost fell to her knees. "My…Sister…"

"No freaking way!" Eva yelled as she grinned. "You mean to tell me your sister switched her allegiance to the Shirai Ryu behind everyone's back?" Frost looked at the ground as tears ran down her eyes. Eva laughed herself to tears just thinking about the amount of Turmoil that could occur if the truth about Shelia went out to the Lin Kuei. "Too bad too. She's probably dead by now."

"You talk too much, Eva." A voice responded. "You failed to get them to deliver the amulet. Therefore, our deal with the Edenian Invasion is off."

"Who cares? We don't need you anyway. This fake amulet is more than enough for what we plan to do." Eva confirmed. "As for you…"

Eva creates a portal behind Frost and pushes her through it. As the portal closes, Eva continues to inspect the amulet as she was impressed with its similarities with Shinnok's Amulet.

 _Anomaly…this is where we part ways._

* * *

 **End of Chapter 7**

 _There is no preview for a new chapter this time. It will jump back to the invasion of Edenia, but there will be atleast two scenes that involve the Lin Kuei arc. The ending of the next chapter will definitely be the most devastating scene I've ever written throughout my entire MK Series._

 **(Upcoming—Ch. 8 Preemptive Strike…)**


	8. Preemptive Strike

**Preemptive Strike**

 _Nowhere in the world will you find a place like Edenia. Zaterra's plagued with assassinations and prejudice. Seido is plagued with Selfishness. The Chaos Realm is plagued with chaos. Vaeternus is plagues with fear and bloodlust. Earthrealm is plagued with senseless war and pollution. Outworld is plague with hatred, betrayal, deception, and greed. Even the Heavens plagued me using shame tactics. Sometimes I wonder if there really is a realm better than Edenia._

After a long walk, Sindel decides to take a rest at the gates of the Edenian castle. She sits on a nearby bench, stretching her legs across it. She stares into the sky above reflecting on what was to come. Years and years of ruling over Edenia alongside King Jerrod, keeping the people satisfied, and helping other realms, she was almost relieved that Edenia was the next target for Shao Kahn.

"Queen Sindel!" One of the Guards called. Sindel looked behind the gate and saw the guard holding a letter with an Elder Lord Seal. Sindel stretched a bit before getting up and walking towards the gates. She reaches her hand through the gate to grab the letter.

"Thanks, Urmin." she responded with a warm smile. The man smiled back and started to walk back into the castle. "By the way, who gave you this letter?" She asked as she looked directly into his eyes.

"It was King Jerrod himself." He responded. She smirked and nodded and proceeded to open the letter.

 _Dear Love,_

Sindel proceeds to ripping the letter into pieces. The guards are confused by what she was doing, but decided not to question her. Walking up behind her was Lokke and his soldiers. With them was her daughter Kitana and baby Tanya. Sindel was surprised by how little time it took for them to return to the castle.

"Queen Sindel?" Lokke spoke. He and his soldiers kneeled before Sindel. Kitana ran up to her mother and wrapped her arms around her mother's legs. Sindel bent over to pick Kitana up and cradle her. Kitana's smiles brought tears to Sindel's eyes.

"So I'm guessing business in the Northern District has been handled?" Sindel asked as she continued to stare at Kitana.

"Yes ma'am. It seems we were able to take care of the first wave of soldiers fairly easily." One of the soldiers responded.

"Then I'm to assume that Tesla, Rain, and Raskal are dealing with the second wave alone then?"

"They never showed up to the fight." Lokke responded. Sindel took her attention away from Kitana and looked towards Lokke. Her facial expression was more serious.

"So the North is undefended." She guessed.

"Actually, your sitter said that she'd handle it. She told us to bring Kitana and Tanya to the castle."

"Ana!" Kitana shouted. Sindel looked at Kitana and smiled again.

"Kitana, look at the castle and don't turn around until I say so." Sindel instructed.

"Ok." Kitana did as she said and stared at the castle. Sindel placed something into both of Kitana's ears and proceeded to place her on the ground. She then looked at Lokke and pointed her right hand towards him.

"Onpa Dangan."

Sindel sends a violent, purple energy ball towards Lokke. As he is struck by the blast, a huge explosion occurs where he stood. An echo of Sindel's screams could be heard upon impact. When the smoke cleared, Lokke's body was completely turned into ashes. Sindel put her hands on her waist as some smoke appears from her right hand. Everyone was frightened by what she did to Lokke. Kitana began to giggle as she looked at the faces of the guards in front of the gates.

"Unless anyone else wants to join him, I suggest that you continue your task of escorting Tanya as well as my daughter back into the Castle. Give them both to King Jerrod." She instructed.

"YE—YES MA'AM!" the Guards responded. They proceeded to follow Queen Sindel's orders and brought the children into the castle. Sindel began to take the road back to her house.

* * *

 ***Meanwhile, back at Sindel's Shrine***

Rain continues to eye each of the assassins in the area. Tesla started kneeling to the ground and began to draw on it with her finger. Khameleon instantly moves in and kicks Tesla in the jaw causing her to fall onto her side.

"I've already been informed about how your spells work, Tesla." She revealed. Raskal reached his hand towards her and pulled her to her feet.

"You had the perfect chance to kill Sindel. Why didn't you take it?" Rain asked.

"She's not our target." Khameleon responded. "We of the locust clan have one goal and one goal only: For Saurian Advancement in Earthrealm. And the only way we can reclaim our position on Earthrealm is to challenge them to Mortal Kombat."

"Then why target Edenia?" Raskal questioned.

"Once Shao Kahn claims Edenia, and then Earthrealm, we will get our ally to betray him. Earthrealm will be ours, Outworld will be hers, and if you get on her good side she may give one of you Edenia." she explained.

"She? You mean Sindel?" Tesla asked.

"Sindel is the key to our freedom. That's why we must do everything we can to ensure no one threatens her life." Khameleon responded. Tesla started to laugh. Her laughing got louder and more hysterical by the second.

"At this very moment, Earthrealm is about to get claimed by the forces of the Netherealm. And you believe Sindel's focus is on giving you Earthrealm?" Tesla chuckled. Khameleon frown upon her.

"You dare mock me, Edenia?"

"Get real Lizard girl, your realm, your race, your future…all of it is dead. Edenia, Seido, Chaos Realm, Earthrealm, even Outworld, will all share the exact…same…fate." Tesla added. She points her finger directly towards Khameleon. "In the grand scheme of things, your people are on the lowest on the totem pole. Your problems mean absolutely nothing."

"If you think you can provoke a member of the Locust Klan then you're sadly mistaken. However, if you want to fight for your Realm, then what say you we have a quick spar?" Khameleon challenged. Tesla forged a devious smile as she cracked her knuckles.

"I'm going to love this." Tesla responded. However, they were all distracted by the sound of an explosion near the castle. Rain used the opportunity to slash the closest Saurian. Tesla punched the ground, causing a slight 2.0 Earthquake in the area. She attempts to run away along with Rain and Raskal. Khameleon notices her trick and chases after her.

"I only need one of you to follow me. The rest of you ensure Sindel's safety!" Khameleon commanded.

Tesla, Rain, and Raskal rushed through the crowded woods as the followed the trail of the river. Khameleon and her partner kept on their trail as while also keeping their presence hidden using their camouflage. Raskal used his reflection technique to get a view of what was behind them.

"I don't see anyone." Raskal stated.

"Of course you don't. They're using Camouflage." Tesla confirmed. Rain used his power to pull the current from the nearby river onto into the woods. The Water doesn't do anything harmful, but it does reveal the positions of Khameleon and her partner. Tesla glances behind herself and spots a small ripple in the water. She creates a small fireball in her hand and fires it in the direction of the ripple.

"Move." Khameleon whispered. Though her partner heard her warning, he didn't make it in time to completely dodge the attack as it strikes his right hip. The fireball causes severe burning to his ribs and leg while piercing his hip. He falls onto the Ground in Pain. Khameleon decides to stop in order to help take care of him.

"I'm sorry…I failed you, Princess Khameleon." He struggle to say. Khameleon looked at his wound and looked back onto the trio. She had a disgusted look on her face as both she and her partner activated their camouflage. Tesla smiled as the three of them continued to escape the area.

* * *

After some time, Rain decided they should rest. Though they were away from Sindel's Shrine, they were still in view of the Castle. As they began to catch their breath, Tesla began to adjust her clothing and practice her fire magic. She then places her focus on Raskal.

"If you're done catching your breath, my sister is in dire need right now." Tesla confirmed. Raskal nodded.

"It's already hard trying to save our own realm from Zaterrian Assassins. Do you really believe that the two can help defeat an enemy that not even Raiden himself is trying to stop?" Rain questioned. Tesla pointed her left hand forward as the symbol on her glove began to glow.

"Don't worry about us, Rain. We'll be safe." Tesla responded.

However, she noticed that she was no longer in Edenia. She was in Earthrealm. Before her was an angry Noob Saibot overcharging a powerful Ice Ball formed in combination with the snow that surrounded them. In between the two, was the portal Tesla created that leads directly to the outside of the Shirai Ryu Temple. His thrusts his hands forward, sending his powerful Ice Ball through the portal. Tesla closes the portal as his attack disappeared. Noob Saibot dropped to his knees as the power of the Medallion caused him to become exhausted.

"No!" Tesla shouted. She realized that she and Ashrah accidentally activated their Body Switching Spell. Tesla fell only her knees and slammed her fist onto the ground. "Ashrah…you idiot!"

 ***Back at the Shirai Ryu***

After a long walk, Shelia and the messenger finally arrive at the outskirts of the Temple. They both stood atop a vacant mountain, overlooking the battle that occurred in the fields of the Shirai Ryu Temple. Warriors dress in black and red attire had invaded in what seems like Guerilla Warfare.

"Where did they all come from?" Shelia asked. However, Ashrah's Messenger was still too injured to speak.

"They came from the Netherealm." Eva responded. Shelia looked back at the lone Shadow Priest. She held onto the fake Medallion, which piqued Shelia's interest.

"Where did you get that Medallion?" Shelia asked. Before Eva could respond, she looked up to the sky and saw a large blue ball of energy hovering over the Temple. As the ball slowly lowered itself towards the structure, everyone on the battlefield focused their attention towards it. Eva realized what was happening as the energy contacted the Temple.

"Run." Eva stated. Shelia and the messenger looked back at her. "Run!" she shouted. She grabbed Shelia's Arm and tried to escape the area with her.

The Ball of energy causes a massive, icy shockwave. From a 120 Meter Radius, everything and everyone was frozen solid and covered in Snow. The Temple itself was partially destroyed because of the impact of the shockwave. Sadly, the Messenger was at the tail end of the blast. Although Eva saved her, Shelia was caught by the after wave which slowly shattered everyone within 40 meters. Shelia's body began to freeze up. As Eva saw that holding onto her was futile, she decided to let her go and escape on her own. Shelia reached towards Eva and suddenly stopped moving as she was frozen solid.

 ***At Edenia***

Ashrah realized that she stood before Raskal and Rain with her hand sticking out. Her eyes were widened as she realized the mistake she made. While she and Tesla learned how the switch spell worked, they were not great with the timing of the spell. It wasn't the first time the problem occurred, but it was definitely the most drastic. She began to hear the screams of her dead allies echoing in her head. One by one remembering each of them, she began to feel what true pain felt like. Even worst was the fact that she wasn't even able to save her messenger.

"What's wrong? Forgot how to summon a portal?" Rain joked. Ashrah looked over his way. She had forgotten that they still see her as Tesla. Although she wouldn't have minded mourning for a bit, she knew she still had a job to do. She had to continue on with her current mission as Tesla. She couldn't worry about what happened in Earthrealm. Edenia was her main focus now.

"Heh, of course not." Ashrah responded. She crossed her arms as she stared at Sindel's Castle in the far distance. "She can handle it."

* * *

 **End of Chapter 8**

 **Preview of Ch. 9 Battle of the Lords…**

" _The Forces are ready, Shao Kahn. Should we head out now?" Reiko asked._

" _No."_

" _No?"_

" _It seems like a traitor decided to take care of the fight on their own." Shao Kahn responded. He then signaled Eva to come into the Throne Room. Reiko frowned upon her appearance. She smiled, almost to the point of snickering._

" _Reiko's Blood Rains…all over Edenia. Isn't that right?" Eva mocked. Reiko clenched his teeth._

" _Enough Eva!" Shao Kahn shouted. "Reiko has been a close ally way before you were ever created. He deserves your respect; as do I." Eva removes her smile and bowed towards Shao Kahn._

" _My sincerest apology, emperor." Eva raised her head. "In important news,_ _ **she's**_ _here."_


	9. Battle of the Lords

**Battle of the Lords**

"The Forces are ready, Shao Kahn. Should we head out now?" Reiko asked.

"No."

"No?"

"It seems like a traitor decided to take care of the fight on their own." Shao Kahn responded. He then signaled Eva to come into the Throne Room. Reiko frowned upon her appearance. She smiled, almost to the point of snickering.

"Reiko's Blood Rains…all over Edenia. Isn't that right?" Eva mocked. Reiko clenched his teeth.

"Enough Eva!" Shao Kahn shouted. "Reiko has been a close ally way before you were ever created. He deserves your respect; as do I." Eva removes her smile and bowed towards Shao Kahn.

"My sincerest apology, emperor." Eva raised her head. "In important news, _she's_ here." Shao Kahn closed his eyes and began to laugh.

"Excellent!" Shao Kahn responded. "All of her enemies in one area. She has nowhere to run once we claim Edenia. I only request that you ensure Sindel lives and that Anomaly dies. We must deliver the final blow, otherwise…"

* * *

 ***Back at Edenia…***

Sindel continues to trek towards the location of Edenia's inter-realm portal. Her mind continuously races as she thinks of the possibilities of her daughter's future. She finds the fact of Shao Kahn raising Kitana a hard pill to swallow. A sense of fear and frustration could be felt throughout her veins as her heart felt like it was slowing her down. She begins to notice a presence nearby as she looks back. A few yards behind her stood Anomaly.

"So…" Sindel began as she sighed heavily. "…this is where you're going to do it. Correct?" Anomaly's face slumped. She kneeled to the ground and bowed her head towards Sindel.

"Queen Sindel. It's been…centuries." She responded.

"Centuries it has." Sindel responded in return. Anomaly arose to her feet with a natural look on her face.

"Never would've imagined coming back here. It seems…much more alive. Just like it was when we were younger. No compromises. No living on the negatives of the past. Just…peaceful." Anomaly closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She opened her eyes as she exhaled.

"Why are you working for the emperor?"

"Shao Kahn understood me better than anyone else." Anomaly Clarified. "Well, other than my husband."

"We attempted to bring you back, Anomaly. We really did."

"I don't need your explanation, Sindel. I only ask for one simple request." Anomaly walked closer to Sindel.

"A request?" she questioned.

"Yes." Anomaly placed her palm on the left side of Sindel's chest. "I would like to take your soul." Sindel violently knocks Anomaly's hand away from her chest. Anomaly was shocked by her response. Sindel frowned upon her request.

"You want to use me as a sacrifice for your own personal gain?" she asked.

"You must understand, Sindel. You're a powerful former Elder Lord—One of life and beauty. Your soul is the final piece I need." Anomaly explained.

"What are talking about, Anomaly? Are you planning to get revenge for what we've failed to do centuries ago?"

"Shao Kahn was always destined to take over Edenia. Had Onaga continued to be Emperor, we could've saved Edenia. The only problem is that my Daughter would not live. The realms would've become…darker. And Armageddon, would be unavoidable. I have no other choice than to become the one thing everyone fears. I must become the new Incarnation of the One Being."

"Are you insane?" Sindel questioned.

"Yes. Yes I am." She responded sarcastically. "Killing Shao Kahn here isn't going to grant me the power I need to save Edenia. Summoning the original One Being would cause our Realm to disappear forever. I'm going to use the power to ensure that its presence never corrupts the souls of tyrants like Shao Kahn."

Sindel was worried about the mental state of Anomaly. She knew of the stories about the One Being—the very being that threated the existence of the Elder Lords since the beginning of time. He was not destroyed, but rather separated into 7 Kamidogu spread across each of the 1000s of realms that we know today. Such an evil would be too much for someone like Anomaly, and her actions could cause the end of existence itself.

"With Onaga's Heart, The 7 Kamidogu, Blaze's Power, and the Soul of an Elder God, I'll become so powerful, not even the end of Existence itself would be able to stop me!" she shouted. Sindel shook her head slowly.

"Anomaly…" Sindel pulls out a vile filled with a purple substance. As she drinks it, a powerful purple aura begins to flow around her. The very presence of the aura could be felt by everyone in Edenia. As she finished the substance she stared directly into Anomaly's eyes. "I cannot allow you to destroy our realm, whether purposefully or indirectly. Therefore, I must end your journey here."

Tanya chuckled at Sindel's response. The two of them were transported a different location. However, it wasn't a particularly familiar location. Sindel was confused by their location. It was a large crater with a giant pyramid in the midst of it. Sindel looked towards the area around the Pyramid and saw nothing but death. Atop of the Pyramid was Shao Kahn. However, because the pyramid was so far away, he could not see them.

* * *

"Where…where are we?" Sindel asked. She was startled by the location. Anomaly pointed her Naginata towards the Pyramid.

"We're in Edenia…many centuries later." She responded.

"The Future?"

"Did you forget Delia's warnings? This is what will become of Edenia—our people. This already is the future of another Edenia. However, we can change this. We will change this." Anomaly confirms.

"Onpa D…" Sindel was cut off as Anomaly quickly kneed her in the gut. Anomaly then grabbed Sindel by the hair and threw her across a nearby pillar. As Sindel landed on the ground, Anomaly appeared before her and pointed her left arm in a shooting position. Her hand began to glow with fire.

"That weak attack won't work on me, Anomaly." Sindel confirmed.

"Maybe, but what if I truthfully told you that it actually can?" Anomaly questioned.

Suddenly, her attack grew stronger, causing Sindel's eyebrows to jump. Anomaly fires her attack, which causes a strong shockwave around the area. Dust surrounded the two, but only one was able to escape it. Sindel slid out of the dust with the heels of her boots. Small amounts of smoot covered her body and her mouth was emitting smoke. The dust surrounding Anomaly quickly vanished as she pulled out her Naginata. She naively dashes towards Sindel, but unbeknownst to Sindel was already prepared.

"Die!"

Sindel screams loudly, causing a massive, destructive shockwave to the entire area. Her scream was so loud that it drew the attention and interest of Shao Kahn atop of the pyramid. Anomaly's body is ripped to shreds by Sindel attack, causing her blood to rain across the entire area. As her sound wave became faint, Sindel slumped over due to exhaustion. She returned to the present timeline of Edenia. The Edenia that she truly knew of.

* * *

"Oh…Anomaly…" Sindel looked to the Ground as she felt remorse for what she did to Anomaly. What she HAD to do.

Suddenly, she felt Anomaly's presence once more as she attempts to swing her Naginata at the back of Sindel's head. She is stopped by Rain, who uses his Katana to block her attack. The three of them separated from each other. Along with Rain were Raskal, Ashrah disguised as Tesla, and Eva.

"Why are you working with Outworld? Aren't you supposed to be fighting for Edenia?" Rain asked.

"I AM fighting for Edenia." She responded. "Who do you think is selling us out? We could have fought in the tournaments, but this whore wanted to claim Shao Kahn's riches instead." She answered. Sindel looked at Rain. Then Ashrah. Then Raskal. Then Eva. She finally returned her attention to Anomaly as tears began to roll down her eyes. She nodded towards Anomaly, which causes Anomaly's eyes to jump up.

"You have no right to accuse me of selling out our realm. Do you really think I wrote that letter because I wanted to?" Sindel asked. "It was an idea from my husband, King Jerrod. In order to keep Kitana alive, we need to make sure Shao Kahn wins. If he claims me, he will claim the Kitana as well." Sindel shouts. Anomaly hesitates to respond. She stares directly into Sindel's eyes.

"You really believe that the King, the ruler of Edenia, would turn his realm over to someone like Shao Kahn?" Anomaly questioned. "Would his death also be part of this plan?" Rain, Ashrah, and Raskal were bewildered by the news of Jerrod's fate. Rain directed his blade towards the ground.

"You mean…King Jerrod is…"

"Dead?" Sindel completed. She stares towards the vile in her hand, sparking the curiosity of Eva. "I suspected that he was dead once I received your counterfeit letter. Dear Love; a four letter word that my husband would never use. I knew Shao Kahn would be waiting for me in that Castle"

"A letter?" Anomaly shouted in confusion. "I never wrote a letter to you." Anomaly then turned her attention towards Ashrah, realizing that she was truly Ashrah all along.

Sindel begins to cough violently. She looks up and notices that everyone is looking towards her in concern. She coughs onto her left hand and notices blood. She then looks at the empty vile in her right hand. Her body jerked back, scaring everyone around her. Her vision starts to become darker as she starts falling face forward on the ground. All she could hear was the muffled cries of her name.

"Sindel!" Raskal shouted. She coundn't hear anything.

"What happened? She was just fine a second ago." Rain asked.

"She had a heart attack out of nowhere. Yet, Anomaly didn't even attack her." Ashrah added. She then looked at the vile on the ground.

Ashrah was reminded of the time she helped Anomaly kill Onaga. When she was attacked by the Poisoned Naginata, she was able to survive the attack with an added power boost. However, it killed Onaga, something that would be impossible for a normal person to do. Not even Adam himself was able to kill Onaga through special means. Anomaly was also frightened when she struck Ashrah all of those years ago. And she seemed surprised to know that Ashrah was actual alive.

"This is not good!" Eva shouted. "She's not supposed to die! She can't die!" she continued.

"What are you yelling about?!" Anomaly questioned in annoyance. She then begins to hear the sound of thunder. She looks up to the sky and notices that it had gotten darker. However, it wasn't anything like when the other realms would merge with Outworld.

 **End of Chapter 9**

* * *

 **Preview of Chapter 10**

" _I promise the next one won't miss." She stated. However, when she looked back towards Ashrah, she noticed that Ashrah was too close for comfort. Ashrah grabbed her by the neck and raised her in the air. Rain used this opportunity to check on Sindel's Corpse. Ashrah attempts to use her Darkness Dispelling technique as she focuses all of the power from the magic circle into the hand that is holding the mistress's neck. However, the power has no effect on her as she creates a ring of fire and points her hand point blank towards Ashrah._


	10. Checkmate

**Checkmate**

" _Heartache number one was when you left. I never thought I could hurt this way. Heartache number two was when you came back again. You came back, but you never meant to stay."_ ~Guy Mitchell

 ***Centuries Ago at the Nexus***

"Eunomia. Eris. Aisa. You three have sworn to protect not just Edenia, but all the Realms in existence. Do you three still abide by this oath?"

"Yes your highness!" Eunomia responded as she bowed.

"Of course your highness!" Eris responded as she bowed. However, Aisa didn't respond.

"Is it really possible to protect EVERY realm in existence?" Aisa asked. Sindel nodded.

"Not everyone is going to join us immediately. That's what I have you three for—my most trusted mediators. You are the only three I truly place my faith in. My secrets, my motives, my life, my future…I leave it all to the three of you." Sindel praised.

"I…I still have my doubts about the success of our alliance as well…respectfully so your highness." Eris also stated. She seemed a bit troubled.

It wasn't unusual for her to seem a bit on edge, however, as she was the one who was chosen to be the mediator for the Chaos Realm. Although successful with her mission there, she hasn't been the same ever since. No one knows why, nor do they question it. Maybe it was a curse from being exposed to the realm for too long, or maybe she saw something that she couldn't remove from her memory.

Being the mediator of Seido and the creator of the Seido Guard, Eunomia has more of an advantage when it comes to defending the universe and securing a direct alliance between the Realm of Order and Edenia. However, this has hindered her from gaining the trust of other realms who despise the controlled environment that the Seido had become ever since she aligned with the realm.

Aisa wasn't as successful as the two. Being the mediator of smaller realms may seem like a decent accomplishment, but without the assistance of the much larger realms, it would be difficult to keep threats against the smaller realms in check—especially at a time where Outworld is constantly conquering them.

"Your doubts are acknowledged. Please remember, no accomplishment in life comes immediately. That's why everyone has a future." Sindel responded.

"And what if one of us were go rogue?" Aisa questioned.

"We were the only ones to successfully complete the Trial of Corruption. The One Being's presence cannot taint our souls." Eris responded.

"We cannot judge right from wrong solely based on our own feelings, Aisa." Eunomia added. "The safety and security of our universe is the only thing that matters. How we make it happen…."

* * *

 ***Present Day***

Anomaly continues to stare at Sindel's Corpse. Her expression was dull—dead. She didn't know what reaction she was supposed to have. The two weren't close friends, but more like distant family. They didn't communicate all of the time, but they always supported each other in their time of need. Even while in captivity and enslavement, the two continued to try and reunite in Edenia once more. However, Anomaly couldn't live in a world where their reunion would end due to Shao Kahn's presence. But sometimes, you can't go back…or can you?

"YOU IDIOT!" Eva yelled. Anomaly snapped back to reality. She looked over to Eva and the others, realizing that they were all back in Edenia once more. She notices that the clouds of Edenia were darkened, and flashing frequently. The voices of the Elder Lords began to roar across the skies of Edenia.

" _Due to the recent death of the former Elder Lord Sindel, the rules of Mortal Kombat have been changed. From here, now, and forever more, Outworld must complete a total of 10 out of 12 tournaments when facing off against a realm that is allied with Edenia spanning one century per tournament. However, if Outworld is defeated by said Realm, they will be permanently forbidden from ever having the opportunity of claiming said Realm. These are the new terms of all Future Mortal Kombat Tournaments."_

The lightning and clouds fade away as the Elder Lords' voices disappear. Everyone becomes relieved as the storm had calmed down. Rain was oblivious to what just happened. Not many knew of Sindel's past other than her most loyal subjects. Sindel had kept many secrets over the years and has kept those secrets with these same people—one of those secrets being the truth about who she used to be.

"It seems I was able to buy everyone else some time." Anomaly stated as she continued to stare at Sindel's corpse. She moves her attention to Rain who attempts to walk towards Sindel's corpse. Anomaly pitches a fire ball in front of him, cause him to take a step backwards. "Don't even try it, step-son."

"Why would you kill Sindel? You ruined Shao Kahn's plans!" Eva shouted.

"That was always the plan, Eva. We were never supposed to permanently work for Outworld." Anomaly responded. Eva clenched her teeth.

"I never agree to such a deceitful act. Lying is the worst form sin."

"Don't let the Shadow Priest stuff get to your head, Eva." She responded.

"So did you or did you not kill Sindel?" Raskal asked.

"No, it was definitely the vile." Ashrah responded. As Anomaly was distracted, Rain attempted to check Sindel's corpse again. However, he is interrupt by Anomaly's fireball once more.

"I promise the next one won't miss." She stated. However, when she looked back towards Ashrah, she noticed that Ashrah was too close for comfort. Ashrah grabbed her by the neck and raised her in the air. Rain used this opportunity to check on Sindel's Corpse. Ashrah attempts to use her Darkness Dispelling technique as she focuses all of the power from the magic circle into the hand that is holding the mistress's neck. However, the power has no effect on her as she creates a ring of fire and points her hand point blank towards Ashrah.

"How is it that I can't dispel your dark sorcery?" Ashrah asked. The heat from the woman's ring of fire began to make Ashrah sweat.

"If you can answer this one simple question, it might work against me. If you get it wrong, however…" The woman's ring of fire grows even stronger than before. At this range, it would completely incinerate Ashrah's body into dust. "So answer me this. Who am I? Who is the real me?" the woman asked.

Ashrah's couldn't wrap her mind over who this woman was—or atleast, figure out how Telsa would know her true name. She's had so many aliases in the past to the point where Tesla wouldn't know which of them her personas were and which of them were legitimate.

"I…don't…" Ashrah was immediately about to give up as she released her grip around the woman's neck, until Rain grabbed her arm.

"It's ok." Rain comforted. "We know." Ashrah nodded as she returned her attention to Anomaly. However, she was still hesitant to actually state her name due to her desire to keep Quan Chi's spell from disintegrating her sister. At that moment, she remembered one key piece of knowledge about her sister that would keep her identity a secret: Tesla is still a resident of Edenia.

"Your name…is Anomaly." Ashrah responded. Anomaly grinned heavily. Her ring of fire disperses into nothing. However, she uses an upper kick to Ashrah's jaw, causing her to be released from her grip. Rain attempts to slash Anomaly's abdomen, but she easily fades through it using her shadow walker technique.

"You killed her too?" Eva questioned. Anomaly simply frowned at Eva.

Suddenly, she was struck by a powerful shoulder charge from Reiko. He is able to knock Anomaly a few feet away, but she's able to stay on her feet. As she looked in his direction, she saw many warriors from Outworld. Among them were Sheeva, Shang Tsung, Reptile, and…

"Shao Kahn."

"Anomaly." Shao Kahn responded. He was holding his hammer in both hands as if he were deciding on Anomaly's fate.

* * *

"I know why you're claiming these realms as you previous emperor had. The difference is that he actually had respect for his allies." Anomaly ridiculed.

"His respect only went so far, as you've witnessed."

"Edenia is my home. Always has, and always will be. I can't just let you take it away. Not again." Anomaly stated.

"Edenia's fate was sealed once you killed Sindel. Because of you, my conquest is at risk!" Kahn responded.

"It's not going to be enough to stop you. As long as Armageddon still exists, there will always be another. It doesn't matter who rules Outworld, it will always be the same. Therefore, I will make it my mission to completely destroy the realm of Outworld." She Threatened.

Unbeknownst to her, Reiko was right above her—hammer in hand. He slammed his hammer towards her skull, but she complete fazed through it. As the hammer touches the ground, she backhands Reiko across the face. Everyone was expecting a loud smack. Instead, they were shown the true strength of the Sorcerer.

Reiko's blood splatted across the fields. The left side of his face was barely recognizable. He was staring direct Rain—at least, with one of his eyes. Anomaly's hand was leaking with his blood as it poured from her hand like a water faucet. Rain was startled by what she had done. She glanced at Rain and nodded. She then turned her attention to Shao Kahn as she pulled Reiko's hammer from his cold hands. However, the hammer disintegrated in the palm of her hands.

Shang Tsung raise his hands in the air as he sung a chant. Eva prompted Ashrah, Rain, and Raskal to move back a bit. Anomaly looked upwards and saw fireballs raining from the sky. Ten? Twenty? Hundreds? She could really count as she needed an exit strategy. She can't faze through objects laced in blood or magic. Reiko's biggest mistake was using his magic for the shoulder charge, expecting it kill her.

"Everyone…I'm sorry." Anomaly sobbed. She raised her hand towards the sky. As the fireballs began to shower her down, green sparks could be seen from her position. Both Eva and Shao Kahn felt the presence of thousands from Anomaly's position.

As the shower ended, Anomaly jumped out of the steam cloud hold a four-sided boomerang in her hand. She slung the boomerang towards Shang Tsung at a break neck speed. The Boomerang was deflected, however, as Reptile rushed in front of Shang Tsung. His right claw was chipped and bleeding. Anomaly smiles at the fact that Reptile had become so easily injured by her attack. Just as she thought, his armored skin does indeed have limits.

As Anomaly is close to landing on the ground, Sheeva slams both of her feet onto Anomaly's spine. Sheeva smiles in victory. Her smile was in vain as her body began to rise from Anomaly's. She was thrown into a nearby tree by an unknown force. Anomaly rises from the ground as if nothing had happened. However, she still seemed to be a bit exhausted.

"How is she still alive after taking all of that?" Raskal asked.

"She used the souls of warriors she's killed in the past—including those from Edenia." Eva explained. Rain was disgusted by what occurred. Anomaly continued to glance in his direction. This time, with a much more sympathetic look on her face. She alternated between him and Shao Kahn.

Ultimately, Anomaly decides to make a chant as she drew fire into the palms of her hands. Everyone was confused about what she was planning next. Unlike before, she wasn't creating a destructive spell. It was more like something Eva and the trio experienced previously. Similar to the reality that Anomaly had them in a while ago.

"You're were right all along, Shao Kahn." She announced in a more distorted voice. It sounded as if multiple people were speaking at once. Her body began to glow orange as six emblems of fire began to surround the ground below her as she began to levitate. "I'm just going to start over again and create a different Universe. And this time, I'm just going to outright kill you to ensure that you never claim Edenia!"

"It'll be a universe that you'll never see, Aisa." Ashrah responded casually. Suddenly, Anomaly's powers vanished. She fell back onto her feet, powerless. Her eyes widened, and her stature was that of a statue. She stared directly into Shao Kahn's eyes.

Everyone alternated their attention between both Ashrah and Anomaly. A portal appears behind Anomaly and she is pierced by a fiery spear from behind. She felt a sharp pain in her chest as blood began to soak her clothing.

"What…is this?!" she shouted. Suddenly, she looked back through the portal and saw a heavily injured Scorpion, along with Noob Saibot. It seems that regardless of the Shirai Ryu's downfall, the two of them came onto terms with Shao Kahn to defeat the greater evil. "Dang it…"

Scorpion's mouth began to mumble words, but Anomaly was too focused on figuring out how Ashrah knew her real name. He quickly pulled Anomaly through the portal. As the portal began to close, Anomaly stated her final words.

"DANG IT!"

* * *

 **End of Chapter 10**

 **(Upcoming—Ch. 11: Eva After)**


	11. Eva After

**Eva After**

 _Does one threat ever end another? Will one cycle ever end another? Will the realms learn their true purpose? This Game of life just continues without a purpose. No matter how many victories we present, there will always be another opponent ready for the challenge. If you can hear me, please…kill the one true villain responsible for our Realms' downfall._

In Outworld, a funeral is prepared for Queen Sindel. Sindel's final words, which she recorded, using a device from Earthrealm, were presented. Shao Kahn refused to take part in the funeral however. Reptile accompanies him during the time before the funeral.

"The preparations for the burial are ready. Are you sure you're not coming, Emperor? This is your daughter's mother's funeral after all." Reptile asked.

"I am positive. You may leave me be." The Emperor responded gloomily. In his hand was a small cup of Red Ale. "I would like to be left alone." Reptile bowed.

"As you wish, sir." As Reptile leaves the room, Shao Kahn squeezes his cup to the point of shattering it. "Anomaly. All of these years, our achievements, our goals, our destiny, was all just a lie?" Shao Kahn looked at the outside of his throne room's window. "I will find you, Anomaly, as well as those who worked beside you. If you can hear me, know that I will have my revenge!"

Back at the funeral, many are seen looking down as the final prayers for the Ceremony are being spoken. Those who attended donned an all-black cloak, nearly identical to the cloak used by Eva. Rain begins to silently cry as he hears baby Kitana's cries. He was standing beside his father, who was holding onto baby Tanya as he looked over Sindel's Corpse.

"I knew it was her. They said she was kidnapped centuries ago, but she said that she purposefully went to Outworld in order to save Edenia in a different way. I'm not trying to say Sindel's death was necessary, but if she succeeded, would our realm…"

"We can't rely on that anymore. If the Queen's wish was to join Outworld in order to preserve the lives of our children, then we must abide accordingly." He father responded regretfully.

"What can we tell Kitana and Tanya when they get older?" Rain asked. His father could only look towards the ground. "I understand."

"Also, I want to give you this." He pulls out a photo and hands it to Rain. As Rain makes a quick glance at the content of the photo, he began to tremble a bit. However, he was smiling.

Tesla and Raskal were viewing the funeral from a distance, not wanting to be around Rain during his time of grief. The two were dressed in their own all black attire—minus the cloaks. While both of them looked onto him with sympathy, their facial expressions were still somewhat different from one another.

"Why is he crying? It's not like she was his mother or anything." Tesla grunted.

"She was still the queen. She loved and respected him." Raskal responded.

"She loved and respected his father—his real father." She countered. "Had she not known the truth, he'd never act this soft."

"Tesla."

Both Tesla and Raskal snapped toward the opposite direction as they heard a strange voice. They noticed it to be Shang Tsung, albeit appear much younger than he did prior to the merging of their realms.

"How long have you been standing there?" Tesla questioned.

"That is none of your concern at the moment. The emperor has a special request for someone of your caliber of sorcery." Shang Tsung responded.

"So he chose me over both his Shadow Priest and his Subordinate. There must be a catch." She mocked.

"There's always a catch." He responded.

* * *

 ***In the Netherealm***

For the past few days, Frost roamed the Netherealm alone. _Hopelessness._ That was all she encountered each day. A ticking time bomb of death. Whether it's the Netherealm itself or her will to continue finding a way out, she was somehow able to live beyond the poison.

Her days of escape may have been put on hold, however, due to the arrival of Quan Chi's strongest Assassin group, the Sisterhood of Shadow. The trio consisted of Siann, Mika, and Sora. Frost got into a defensive stance as the three assassins stood in a non-violent pose.

"Look who we have here." Siann began. "A female harlot from the Lin Kuei who couldn't keep her pants up. So they sent you here to finally dispose of you."

"They've wasted their time trying to allow you to prevent the events to come, but no one is safe." Sora added.

"You won't have to be the Lin Kuei's little old pet anymore when the Sisterhood finishes you off. We'll drag your corpse over to Quan Chi and let him torture your soul for eternity. Death and destruction is the only thing you will see throughout your entire life." Mika threatened.

"You are pathetic. Just like your little sister." Siann taunted. They all laughed. Frost was angered by their remarks and they're laughter, but said nothing. "As much as we'd like to let you leave since…well you're going to die anyway..."

Suddenly, Frost throws an Ice dart at Siann's throat. Sora and Mika trembled a bit. Siann pulled the dart out of her neck as she choked on her blood. Shelia continued to survey the three, waiting for them to attack. Siann clenched her teeth as blood slipped between the cracks.

"Now, you gotta pay, vix." She gargled. Siann rushed Frost use a series of punches. Frost uses a few defensive skills against Siann's attacks, but she is knocked down after getting kicked in her right arm by Mika. Frost slowly rises back up while staggering a bit.

"You could've stayed where you were Mika. She wasn't even close to landing hit." Siann gloated.

"Yeah, but I still wanted to join the action." Mika responded.

"Why don't you three always stick together in a fight instead of fighting alone?" Frost asked.

"What good would it do you to know?" Sora questioned.

"I'd think someone as strict as Ashrah would force her warriors to stick with each other everywhere they go." Frost explained. Siann waved her finger to Frost as her throat began to dry.

"There are 3 errors in your statement. Firstly, Ashrah is not strict, especially with the Shirai Ryu. That's why your sister decided to join them instead of the Lin Kuei. Secondly, Ashrah has no command over us. In fact, she is actually below our ranks. Lastly, we aren't always around each other. We have split missions every now and then."

"If we couldn't hold back, we would've killed you and every Oni within a 100 mile radius." Mika boasted.

Frost disapproved and ran up to Mika. Kia pulled out her ballpoint whip and swiped it in Frost's direction. Frost used an ice slide to dodge the whip and she knocked Mika off her feet. Sora uses a powerful Karate Chop to Frost's ribs, forcing her to the ground. Mika rose back up and dusted herself off.

"Lucky shot, I'll give you that." Mika praised. "But now I see what will cause you to get more serious. It's not your sister, it's your pride in always being right. If we prove you wrong, you will always try to make it right."

Frost creates three ice pillars from the floor to push the assassins in the air. As the assassins come down from the air, Frost transforms the three pillars into sharp spikes. All three assassins slammed on the spikes, causing them to slowly bleed out. They all reached out towards the empty skies of the Netherealm, attempting to send a message.

"Ah...you..." Siann struggled.

"How could...how..." Sora questioned.

"You 2...really..." Mika attempted. All 3 of them finally let go of the last bit of strength they had.

Frost felt relieved. She takes a deep breath and begins to sob. This is probably the life she must live now; a life of misery. _One that cannot be escaped. One that has no purpose or end._ And she can never see her Sister again. As Frost prepared to finally leave the area, she readjusts her focus as she felt the shadowy overcast of three humanoid figures.

"HERE WE GOOOOOOOO!"

For a split second, she recognizes the three warriors. They were Sareena, Jataaka, and Kia. Sareena stabs Frost in her shoulders with a pair of scythes, Jataaka stabs Frost in her back with a katana, and Kia ruptures Frost's liver with her boomerang. Blood runs out of Frosts face mask as it falls off of her face.

"How...*gasp* I though you three…*gasp* died years…ago…?" Frost wondered.

"We aren't your everyday enemies. We are beings who have been killed on Earth and sent to the Netherealm, or in human terms "Hell." Quan Chi has found a way to resurrect us and everyone who is sent to the Netherealm. Now, we can never die, we can only go to the Netherealm. Now, you will join us there and forever become a servant for Quan Chi." Sareena confirmed.

As Frost begins to die, she momentarily looks at the ring she was given by Eva and notices that it only cracks. As her vision turned black, she realized that what Sareena said was true. She truly will become a servant of Quan Chi in the Netherealm.

* * *

* **Six Months Later***

The Lin Kuei members Bi Han and Kuai Liang appear before the grandmaster in his Throne Room.

"I see. So you've been paid a higher price by another individual to quit this assassination contract?" the Grandmaster asked. He would usually cast death upon members who declined an assassination contract, but as long as they were paid a higher price for saving them he would turn a blind eye.

"Hopefully, that won't happen again." Bi Han answered.

"We'll seek to it then. Dismissed!" Kuai began to leave the Grandmaster's room, but Bi Han stayed a bit longer.

"You needed to talk to me about something?" The Bi Han asked.

"Other than the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament set to be held in the next 500 years, I actually wanted to know who paid for this contract." The Grandmaster requested.

"Actually, it was Outworld's champion." Bi Han replied. The Grandmaster was surprised by the champion's interest.

* * *

 ***Meanwhile, at one of Edenia's old deserts where Sindel's corpse lied, Anomaly stared at her grave.***

"I won't lie and say I didn't want revenge. You just pushed me too hard, Sindel." She then threw her hood across her hair in order to hide her Identity as she walked away from the Tombstone.

She had been running for her life since the day Sindel died—barely escaping the Lin Kuei and the Edenians. Suddenly, in the distance, she saw a womanly figure leaning beside a hidden totem pole. She wore a traditional Locust Clan uniform. Anomaly had been looking for the woman for weeks as she was tipped off that the woman could help her escape for good.

"I'm here like you asked." She told the woman. She slowly walked towards her as the fatigue of constantly running began to kick in. Anomaly smiled greatly as she knew she was guaranteed to be home free.

"ANOMALY!" a voice shouted. She couldn't really understand it well as she turned to see who it was.

"Oh—" her words were cut off too quickly, and so was the entire upper half of her body. As the body began to rise, she saw the invisible figure that performed the fatality on her. It turned out to be Reptile, who had become Outworld's newest Champion. A few feet behind Reptile was Rain. He was holding a heavy object, but she couldn't recognize it due to the constant flow of sand. As her body began to fall a few feet away from the bottom half stature, she looked back to the area where the woman was standing and noticed that the woman began to walk away after giving Anomaly a disgusted look. Feeling hopeless and betrayed, Anomaly's lifeless heart stopped pumping blood. Her eyes became extremely dull. She was dead.

"Alright Rookie, it's time to go." Reptile stated as he walked away from the corpse.

"I see that you're not a very good team player are you?" Rain stated as he looked at Reptile with disappointment. "If we're going to be in the same Realm, we should be able to Compromise."

"You should've made it first." Reptile responded coldly.

"All I wanted to do was let her see little Tanya again before she died." Rain retorted. He then began to look at his step-sister who was only six months old. Rain pulled out a photo and tossed it on the ground next to Anomaly's lifeless face. He followed Reptile as they both left the desert.

After a few minutes have passed, another hooded female figure stumbled upon the corpse. She picked up the photo that lied nearby. As she stared at it, she smiled and dropped it back on top of the corpse. It was a family picture of the Pregnant Anomaly (8 Months), Rain, and the Ambassador of Edenia. The female then walked away as the 12 person group she was with began to leave the area.

* * *

 **End of Mythologies: Mortal Kombat**


End file.
